HC Deb 24 February 1982 vol 18 cc431-2W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional tonnage of crude oil will have to be run if refineries comply with Her Majesty's Government's requirements to reduce lead levels in petrol from 0.4 grammes per litre to 0.15 by 1985.

Mr. Gray

I have been asked to reply.

Based on current consumption, about 500,000 tonnes of crude oil per year.

Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the comparative costs of methyl tertiary butyl ether and tetra ethyl lead/tetra methyl lead; and what is the energy input in the production of each.

Mr. Gray

I have been asked to reply.

The current prices of lead alkyls and methyl tertiary butyl ether are about £1,145 and £225 per tonne respectively. However, any comparison should be made on the basis of their octane improvement quality; on that basis it is estimated to cost on average 0.5p/gallon to raise petrol from 92 to 97 RON by the addition of lead alkyls, and 3.6p/gallon to achieve the same by the addition of

Local Authority Scheme Gross Tender Price No.of Dwellings
(£000)
Ormsgille Street
Barrow in Furness Phase 4 2,063 110
Blackburn Griffin Phase 2A 931 57
Cotswold Sherbourne Street 246 12
Darlington Havelock Street 1,125 71
Derby Coniston Crescent 191 13
Westbum Hope
Derwentside Terrace 294 16
Derwentside Craghead 771 50
Durham Hopper Place 81 5
Victoria Road Phase
Gateshead 1 1,249 80
Haringey 16–26 Dorset Road 261 12
Harlow Linford End 347 19
Lincoln Gray Street 45 4
Tower Hamlets Brokesley Street 178 9
Wakefield Dunbar Street 807 60

None of these schemes was being built for sale.

With the introduction of the new project control system on 1 April 1981 information as to the contractor for a given scheme ceased to be collected. However, as from 1 April 1981 housing starts and completions by local authority MTBE. Details of the energy consumption used in their manufacture are not readily available. No MTBE is manufactured in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much he estimates that the price of petrol will have to advance per gallon to take account of the reduction of lead content by 1985.

Mr. Gray

I have been asked to reply.

It is estimated that the cost of reducing the maximum permitted lead content from 0.40 to 0.15 grammes per litre could be up to 4p/gallon based on oil prices of January 1981. The effect on prices will reflect the market forces at that time.

Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how it is proposed to increase octane ratings in gasoline; and how vehicle energy efficiency will be maintained following the reduction of lead additives.

Mr. Gray

I have been asked to reply.

Octane quality of petrol will be maintained by more severe processing in refineries, coupled with the use of higher octane blending components. Consequently, there will be no change in engine efficiency.