Motorcycles: Excise Duties
The question
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration she has given to introducing a reduced rate of Vehicle Excise Duty for motorcycles.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), sometimes known as 'road tax' or 'car tax', is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans, and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.
VED for motorcycles is currently based on engine size. There are four engine size ranges, with the lowest rate applying to zero emission motorcycles and the smallest engines sized 150cc or less (currently £27). The highest rate applies to engines sized 600cc and above (currently £125). Motorcycles do not pay different rates in the first year of purchase, unlike cars where first year rates vary from £10 to £5,690 for the most polluting vehicles
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances
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