§ Mr. Woodcockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that unleaded petrol should not be introduced throughout the European Community before 1989.
506W
§ Mr. WaldegraveIn my statement on 10 December, at column 741, I explained that the Council of Environment Ministers has reached agreement on a directive which provides for the introduction of unleaded petrol throughout the Community not later than 1989, or earlier if individual member states wish. The Government would welcome the sale of unleaded petrol in this country before 1989 if the oil companies see a market for it.
§ Mr. Woodcockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government will support a derogation in the draft directive on lead and benzene content of petrol to allow Italy and France to retain the maximum lead content of 0.4 g per litre.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe directive as originally drafted by the European Commission would have acquired the maximum permitted lead content of leaded petrol to be 0.15 grammes per litre from 1 October 1989; but made provision for temporary waivers for member states with particular difficulties. The text as agreed by the Environment Council now requires members states to reduce the lead content of leaded petrol to this level as soon as they consider it appropriate.
§ Mr. Woodcockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reconsider Her Majesty's Government's decision to reduce the lead content in petrol in the United Kingdom from 0.4 g to 0.15 g from the beginning of 1986.
§ Mr. WaldegraveNo. This move will reduce petrol-lead emissions by around 60 per cent. immediately; and the Government regard it as an important step towards the eventual elimination of lead from petrol.