Ainsworth: Brown's climate change tax is a "sham"

The government's climate change levy is a sham and not fit for purpose claims the Conservative party.

Peter Ainsworth, shadow environment secretary, was responding to the environmental audit committee report on the climate change levy which found the tax has not worked.

The report revealed carbon savings had been made by the levy – which charges firms for carbon emissions and rewards them for energy savings – but the these savings were due to previous initiatives.

Mr Ainsworth said: "This report reinforces Gordon Brown’s attempts to portray the climate change levy as the solution to all our environmental problems as a sham.

"The climate change levy may be a great brand name but it is not fit for purpose."

He added; "What we need is a Carbon Levy that will properly address industries' carbon emissions."