§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is now in a position to name a precise date when lead-free petrol will be introduced.
§ Mr. WaldegraveLead in petrol will be reduced by 60 per cent. by the end of 1985. The Government remain fully committed to the introduction of lead-free petrol for use in new cars at the earliest possible date. But we are sure that, in order to gain the maximum environmental, technical and economic benefit, there is no practicable alternative to an EC accord. It has been agreed that proposals for further reductions in the lead content of petrol throughout the Community, on the road to its eventual elimination, shall be drawn up. The Government 193W believe that the Royal Commission's target for all new petrol-engined vehicles to be running on unleaded petrol by 1990 is a reasonable one to aim at throughout the EC, but we shall improve on it if at all possible.