There was little in the pre-Budget report to please environmental campaigners.

The chancellor revealed a slight rise in the landfill levy, which aims to encourage recycling by making the tipping of waste more expensive.

The levy is to rise by £3 per tonne per year from 2005/06.

Gordon Brown said the move would be "revenue neutral".

There was also a pledge to reduce by 20p per litre the duty rate for bioethanol road fuel.