Ministers will announce a diesel scrappage scheme within days amid last-minute government wrangling over plans to reduce air pollution.
Michael Gove, the environment secretary, is expected to announce a “very, very targeted scheme” on scrappage, which some sources claimed would cost the taxpayer less than originally envisaged.
He has also suggested that he is looking for new ways of testing the toxicity levels of diesel cars, declaring that the EU’s laboratory tests allow car manufacturers to “cheat the system”.
The plan, which must be announced by next Monday, has been evolving. Three weeks ago the cost was put at £500 million for scrappage and £250 million to help councils to set up schemes to ensure cleaner air in city centres, but cross-departmental wrangling has meant