§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make an assessment of the balance of advantage to the United Kingdom motor industry of introducing lead-free petrol.
§ Mr. ButcherMy understanding is that provided any future move is on a European basis, and that the industry is given an adequate lead-time to adjust its production for lead-free petrol, the industry would be unlikely to suffer significant competitive disadvantage from such a move.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make an assessment of the benefits to the United Kingdom balance of trade of United Kingdom motor industry produced cars designed to run on lead-free petrol.
§ Mr. ButcherIt is already entirely open to United Kingdom manufacturers to produce cars designed to run on lead-free petrol, where they see commercial advantage in doing so. The technical requirements of export markets are not, of course, the only factor determining what products companies sell in particular markets. The United Kingdom industry currently produces a limited number of largely specialist or luxury vehicles for sale in "lead-free" markets such as the United States and Japan.