§ Mr. Iain Millsasked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Davy Design Engineering Group on the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether as a substitute for tetra ethyl lead in providing anti-knock systems in petrol; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FowlerRepresentatives of the group recently met officials from my Department and from the Departments of Energy and Environment to discuss the use of this petrol additive. MTBE is already used in some European countries to raise octane levels in low lead petrol and could be used for the same purpose here if it could be produced in sufficient quantities. But lead-free petrol with an MTBE content would still be unsuitable for the majority of existing cars used in this country because MTBE does not replace the lead's lubricating qualities.