§ 28. Mr. Neil Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the cost to the United Kingdom oil refining industry of moving to lead-free petrol in two stages rather than one.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe costs to the United Kingdom oil refining industry of moving to unleaded petrol in one or more stages would depend on the octane number or numbers of the petrol provided at each stage. Assuming unleaded petrol is provided at the octane now estimated to be the most energy-efficient, the costs would be similar whether the route chosen had been in one or two stages. Those costs could involve an additional consumption of some 800,000 tonnes of crude oil a year and investment by the United Kingdom refining industry of some £500 million assuming no further changes in technology or driving habits.