In February, the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) facilitated the visit of Rebecca Smith MP to Vospers Van Centre in Plymouth, located in the MP’s constituency of South West Devon. The meeting included NFDA representation from Stephen Latham, NFDA Commercial Vehicle Manager, along with Vospers Chairman Peter Vosper and Steve Chilcott, Commercial Vehicle Director at Vospers. This visit is part of NFDA’s ongoing efforts to engage with policymakers and support its members through its parliamentary engagement programme. Discussions covered several key topics: As a member of the Transport Select Committee, Rebecca Smith MP showed strong interest in the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate consultation. She received a copy of NFDA’s submission to better understand the industry’s perspective on proposed policies. The visit took place at a pivotal time for the LCV sector, with the ZEV mandate quota for new vans increasing to 16% for this year whilst fines for non-compliant vehicles are set to double from £9,000 to £18,000. A major point of discussion was the impact of changes to business property relief for inheritance tax on family-run businesses, announced in the 2024 Autumn Budget. Vospers expressed concerns about how these changes could impact the long-term sustainability of larger family-run businesses like theirs. Additionally, the upcoming Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax changes for double-cab pick-ups, set to take effect in April, were also highlighted. Rebecca Smith MP also took the opportunity to commend Vospers for achieving a 50/50 gender balance in its Sales and Service departments, recognising their progress in fostering diversity within the automotive sector. The MP also further expressed her intention to use insights from NFDA and Vospers as key reference points for future automotive policy discussions. Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of NFDA, commented : “NFDA extends its gratitude to Rebecca Smith MP for visiting Vospers Van Centre in Plymouth to discuss the key challenges facing our sector. “The van market is evolving rapidly, with the ZEV mandate quota for new vans rising to 16% this year and fines increasing to £18,000. It is crucial that the Government recognises the distinct needs of car and van buyers. “NFDA remains committed to engaging with policymakers to ensure the concerns of both dealers and consumers are heard and addressed.” Rebecca Smith MP also commented : “Family-run businesses like Vospers are the bedrock of our local economy. I am deeply concerned by the Government’s business-killing changes to Business Property Relief (BPR), levying 20% inheritance tax against all assets worth over £1 million. “Vospers owner Peter has built his business through hard graft for 55 years, employing some 600 staff. Peter is being hit with a £1.4 million hike to Employers’ National Insurance for his business. I urge the Government to reconsider their smash and grab of family businesses in South West Devon. “Thank you to Peter, Steve, and Stephen for opening their doors on a Friday evening and providing a really informative visit.”