The “bangers and cash” scheme under which owners of cars over 10 years old get £2,000 off the price of a new car when their old car is scrapped, has fallen into total disarray.

On the scheme’s first day, major car manufacturers refused to register any cars sold under the scheme leaving thousands of clients disappointed. The chaos has arisen because the Government hasn’t sorted out the details of the scheme. The manufacturere do not know how to register the cars onto the scheme or who should scrap the bangers. There are also problems relating to the treatment of VAT on the price of the new car.

All these problems mean that car deliveries are suspended and the prospective owners have no idea when their new car will be delivered.

This embarrassing situation arose after Gordon Brown and Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, were crowing about how popular the scheme was as they launced it at a dealership in North London. They expect some 300,000 new cars to be sold under the scheme.

Isn’t this absolutely ludicrous. With all the resources at the Governments disposal, can’t they get their paperwork sorted out?

Extract um digitum Mr Brown.