Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the addition of involatile ethers on motor exhaust pollution. [17769]
§ Mr. AtkinsThe environmental case for the addition of involatile ethers such as MTBE, ETBE or TAME to petrol as oxygenating agents in not yet clear. The Government will continue to keep their use under review, and will be participating fully in the setting of standards for vehicle emissions and fuel formulation at a European level, in particular in the light of the forthcoming report from the European tripartite initiative on future engine and fuel technologies.