§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his calculations for the statement made by the Under-Secretary of State, Official Report, 1st August, column 589, regarding the cost to the balance of payments of reducing lead in petrol.
§ Mr. Denis HowellThe calculations assume that the existing octane levels of petrol will be maintained when the lead level is reduced. This requires more severe refining and therefore more crude oil. The extra crude oil which will be104W centage salary increases greater than the rise in the cost of living index. The information is set out below:
required is estimated at 2 million tonnes. It is assumed that all the non-petrol products from the extra crude oil will be exported.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for Mr. Nicholas Albery of London, W8 to receive a personal reply from the Minister of State to his recent letter on the subject of lead in petrol and a detailed response by Her Majesty's Government to the points in the letter by Dr. Schiffer of the West German Transport Ministry enclosed with the letter from Mr. Albery.
§ Mr. Denis HowellA reply was sent to Mr. Albery's letter on 1st September by the Department of Transport in view of its responsibility for the lead content of petrol regulations. The reply indicated the Government's view on the chief points arising from the letter from the West German Ministry of Transport
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek a meeting between his officials and officials of the West German Transport Ministry to discuss a report by them which concludes that the reduction in lead concentrations imposed by the Low Lead Petrol Act does not involve an increased energy requirement.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI do not accept that no increased energy requirement is involved. Official contacts between the Department of Transport and the West German Ministry of Transport are good and no special meeting to discuss this matter is necessary.
§ Mr. Ronald Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of cost to the balance of 105W payments of reducing the amount of lead in petrol from the level of 0.40 g/1 already planned, to that now operating in Germany.
§ Mr. Denis HowellNo firm estimate has yet been made. However, there are indications that about 3 per cent. more crude oil might be required to make petrol to the present octane levels. This would entail an additional balance of payments cost of the order of £200 million a year.
My right hon. Friend's officials in the Department of Transport are conducting a study to assess the costs of various long-term measures which may prove to be desirable for reducing lead emissions from vehicles.