§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 26 January 2001,Official Report, column 732W, on the Powershift Programme, what meetings his Department's ministers have had over the past 12 months with vehicle manufacturers to encourage them to manufacture production line gas vehicles; what other measures his Department has taken in pursuit of this objective; and what the response has been from vehicle manufacturers. [148315]
§ Mr. HillOver the past 12 months my Department's Ministers and officials have met a range of gas vehicle manufacturers and converters and the relevant trade associations—the LP Gas Association and the Natural Gas Vehicle Association—to discuss the development of the gas vehicle market, including the introduction of production line vehicles. This issue was also discussed within the Cleaner Vehicles Task Force which my colleague, Lord Macdonald, the Minister for Transport, co-chaired.
The Energy Saving Trust, which administers the DETR funded Powershift programme, maintain an on-going dialogue with vehicle manufacturers, encouraging them to introduce production line gas vehicles. I am encouraged to know that several vehicle manufacturers are considering this.