HC Deb 13 December 2001 vol 376 cc951-2W
32. Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's plans for encouraging the environmentally friendly use of lorries. [20588]

Mr. Meacher

The Government's overarching plans for encouraging the environmentally friendly use of lorries were set out in the Sustainable Distribution Strategy, published in March 1999. The Strategy includes a package of measures to promote best environmental practice in the distribution industry. This includes encouraging more efficient freight logistics with the aim of minimising environmental impacts, and improving business efficiency. The Strategy is being supported through various initiatives including the DTLR-sponsored PowerShift and CleanUp programmes which provide grants towards the cost of purchasing vehicles—including lorries—running on cleaner fuels such as gas and fitting them with emission reduction technologies such as particulate traps.