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| VW failure to compensate UK owners 'deeply unfair' | VW failure to compensate UK owners 'deeply unfair' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Volkswagen's failure to compensate UK owners of cars affected by the emissions scandal is "deeply unfair", MPs have said. | |
| UK owners can get affected diesel vehicles repaired, but in the US they can also claim up to $10,000 (£7,400). | UK owners can get affected diesel vehicles repaired, but in the US they can also claim up to $10,000 (£7,400). |
| The Transport Select Committee also said the government had been too slow to investigate whether VW should be prosecuted in the UK for the scandal. | The Transport Select Committee also said the government had been too slow to investigate whether VW should be prosecuted in the UK for the scandal. |
| The government insisted it was pushing the firm "to ensure they take action". | The government insisted it was pushing the firm "to ensure they take action". |
| Louise Ellman, the Labour MP who chairs the committee, said VW had "acted cynically" to cheat emissions tests. | Louise Ellman, the Labour MP who chairs the committee, said VW had "acted cynically" to cheat emissions tests. |
| "Volkswagen's evidence to us was just not credible but the government has lacked the will to hold VW accountable for its actions," she said. | "Volkswagen's evidence to us was just not credible but the government has lacked the will to hold VW accountable for its actions," she said. |
| Analysis: Richard Westcott, BBC transport correspondent | Analysis: Richard Westcott, BBC transport correspondent |
| Along with all the detail about VW, this report also highlights an issue raised recently by the BBC. | Along with all the detail about VW, this report also highlights an issue raised recently by the BBC. |
| It talks about evidence that other carmakers have misled regulators or taken advantage of loopholes in the regulations on a "substantial scale". | It talks about evidence that other carmakers have misled regulators or taken advantage of loopholes in the regulations on a "substantial scale". |
| Basically, the rules allow manufacturers to downgrade or switch off emissions cleaning systems at certain times to protect the engine. | Basically, the rules allow manufacturers to downgrade or switch off emissions cleaning systems at certain times to protect the engine. |
| Testing figures suggest some are doing it when the outside temperature falls below about 17C outside, which is most of the year in Britain. | Testing figures suggest some are doing it when the outside temperature falls below about 17C outside, which is most of the year in Britain. |
| They justify it by saying cold weather can damage components, but the suspicion is it gives them more miles to the gallon. | They justify it by saying cold weather can damage components, but the suspicion is it gives them more miles to the gallon. |
| It means the car is potentially more polluting than it needs to be, and we're talking millions of vehicles here. | It means the car is potentially more polluting than it needs to be, and we're talking millions of vehicles here. |
| "There is a real danger that VW will be able to get away with cheating emissions tests in Europe if regulators do not act." | "There is a real danger that VW will be able to get away with cheating emissions tests in Europe if regulators do not act." |
| The German giant will offer to repair or buy back the affected diesel vehicles in the US and pay owners between $5,000 and $10,000 in compensation. | The German giant will offer to repair or buy back the affected diesel vehicles in the US and pay owners between $5,000 and $10,000 in compensation. |
| But in the UK, owners affected have only been offered the option of a repair. | |
| The select committee called on regulators to ensure owners were not left out of pocket by VW's technical solution, which it said was developed as cheaply as possible. | The select committee called on regulators to ensure owners were not left out of pocket by VW's technical solution, which it said was developed as cheaply as possible. |
| 'Unacceptable actions' | 'Unacceptable actions' |
| Ms Ellman said: "Vehicle owners have been refused goodwill payments. That is despite VW inflicting a great deal of uncertainty on its own customers, along with the prospect of declining residual values and the inconvenience of having to undergo repairs." | Ms Ellman said: "Vehicle owners have been refused goodwill payments. That is despite VW inflicting a great deal of uncertainty on its own customers, along with the prospect of declining residual values and the inconvenience of having to undergo repairs." |
| A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman said it had taken VW's "unacceptable actions extremely seriously", adding: "We continue to push VW to ensure they take action." | A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman said it had taken VW's "unacceptable actions extremely seriously", adding: "We continue to push VW to ensure they take action." |
| Volkswagen said it had contacted all 200,000 UK owners affected by the issue and advised them to take their cars to their closest dealer. | Volkswagen said it had contacted all 200,000 UK owners affected by the issue and advised them to take their cars to their closest dealer. |
| "Close to 50,000 vehicles in the UK have now received the technical measure, a number which will continue to increase as further vehicles' technical measures are developed, rigorously tested and then approved by the relevant transport authorities," a VW spokesman said. | "Close to 50,000 vehicles in the UK have now received the technical measure, a number which will continue to increase as further vehicles' technical measures are developed, rigorously tested and then approved by the relevant transport authorities," a VW spokesman said. |
| The MPs also said that the DfT failed to seek stricter emissions limits in new tests that will include real-world driving. | The MPs also said that the DfT failed to seek stricter emissions limits in new tests that will include real-world driving. |
| "We are concerned that manufacturers have far too great a say over how type approval reforms are implemented," Ms Ellman added. | "We are concerned that manufacturers have far too great a say over how type approval reforms are implemented," Ms Ellman added. |
| The DfT spokesman said the Real Driving Emissions test being introduced next year was "robust and will make a real difference". | The DfT spokesman said the Real Driving Emissions test being introduced next year was "robust and will make a real difference". |
| VW admitted last September that 482,000 of its diesel vehicles in the US were fitted with defeat device software to switch engines to a cleaner mode while they were being tested. | VW admitted last September that 482,000 of its diesel vehicles in the US were fitted with defeat device software to switch engines to a cleaner mode while they were being tested. |
| It said that almost 1.2 million vehicles in the UK were affected, but disputed whether the software constituted a defeat device in the European Union. | It said that almost 1.2 million vehicles in the UK were affected, but disputed whether the software constituted a defeat device in the European Union. |
| In May the company more than doubled its provisions for the diesel emissions scandal to €16.2bn (£12.6bn). | In May the company more than doubled its provisions for the diesel emissions scandal to €16.2bn (£12.6bn). |