§ Dr. WhiteheadTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons
138Wthe UK Government did not support the development of mandatory and indicative targets for biofuels in the relevant EU draft directive. [69340]
§ Mr. JamiesonI have been asked to reply.
In common with the majority of other European Union member states, the UK Government do not support the European Commission's proposals for mandatory targets applied uniformly to every state, as originally proposed by the European Commission in the Biofuels Directive. In order to maintain the UK's ability to set national policy on the basis of the UK's own domestic circumstances, the Government favour the adoption of flexible, indicative targets; an approach endorsed by the European Scrutiny Committees of both Houses of Parliament.
The Government actively support the use of transport biofuels, in particular through the 20 pence per litre reduction in fuel duty on biodiesel—due to come into effect shortly—and through the further round of the Green Fuels Challenge, offering zero duty for pilots demonstrating innovative technologies for environmentally beneficial fuels.