Vehicle Emissions (Reduction) (Hansard, 15 November 1989)

§ Mr. Keith Mans (Wyre)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to encourage the fitting of catalytic converters to all new motor cars. Just over a year ago I introduced a Bill, under the same procedure, to encourage the use of unleaded petrol. At the time, sales of unleaded petrol were less than 2 per cent. of sales and fewer than 1,500 filling stations sold unleaded petrol. Now, sales account for over 30 per cent., and over 80 per cent. of garages stock unleaded brands.

My intention was to speed up the transfer towards the use of unleaded petrol, and to cut the amount of lead in the atmosphere—that amount is now well below what it was a year ago.

My Bill is designed to reduce other emissions from vehicles. Apart from lead, car exhaust emissions contain carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide, which are associated with photochemical smog, acid rain and health risks, such as respiratory problems.

The latest European Community directive on small-car emissions means that all new cars will have to be fitted with a catalytic converter by 1 December 1992, and new models will have to be fitted with one five months prior to that date. Directives on larger cars are likely to repeat the small-car emissions standards and time scales.

I should like those standards to be applied sooner in Britain. We should not wait until the last minute to make those changes. My Bill provides that all new models would have to be fitted with a catalytic converter by 1 July 1990, and all new cars the following year.

To help the move towards cleaner car exhaust emissions, the Bill provides for tax incentives for car manufacturers and car owners to fit catalysts.

A reduction in new car tax, equivalent to 80 per cent. of the extra cost of fitting a catalyst, would apply to all new cars where work was carried out by the manufacturer. For owners of cars that can be fitted with a catalyst, a refund of the annual vehicle licence fee would meet most of the extra cost.

The catalyst is a relatively inexpensive item, which costs between £50 and £100 for most family cars. In addition, a stainless steel exhaust, and in most cases, fuel injection equipment has to be fitted. The total cost for most cars works out at under £400. Fuel injection equipment results in greater engine efficiency, which usually cancels out any loss of economy from the catalyst. A stainless steel exhaust gives savings in exhaust replacement costs over the lifetime of the motor car, and second-hand cars with catalysts normally command higher prices.

380 It has been suggested that fitting a catalyst will increase carbon dioxide emissions. That has to be balanced against the reduction in carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, which are both greenhouse gases. Carbon monoxide has a greater effect on global warming than carbon dioxide.

The final part of the Bill calls for the adoption of strict limits on emissions from diesel engined vehicles. Diesel engines do not require lead additives in their fuel and their emissions are generally less polluting than petrol engines, but they produce higher levels of particulates, mainly hydrocarbons, which cause an unpleasant smell and considerable soiling in built-up areas. Of greater importance is the reduction, which they cause, in visibility and the formation of photochemical smog. Recent studies have shown that the fumes are likely to be carcinogenic, as well as causing respiratory problems in some individuals.

The European Community has not tackled the problem of diesel engines effectively. European emissions standards for diesel engine vehicles are well below those proposed in the United States of America. The Bill would set limits for emissions from diesel-engined vehicles, in line with the standards the United States Government are bringing into force in 1991 and 1994. They would cover all diesel-engined vehicles and would lead to improvements in engine design, better fuel quality, a reduction in the sulphur content of the fuel, and the eventual fitting of improved catalytic traps.

Cleaner car exhaust emissions result in a cleaner and healthier environment. The Government are rightly committed to such an environment. We must not delay reducing emissions from petrol-engined vehicles and we must bring standards up to those in Germany and the United States of America.

We are in a strong position to give a lead to the European Community by tackling the problem of emissions from diesel-engined vehicles now. Let us reinforce our commitment to the environment by doing so.