EXHAUST EMISSION STANDARDS AND CAR EXPORTS

HL Deb 27 July 1988 vol 500 c371WA

Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will state how many cars were exported in the latest 12-month period for which statistics are available, from (a) United Kingdom, and (b) the European Community, to the United States of America; and whether they will confirm that all these cars were required to meet exhaust emission standards for small cars which are significantly more stringent than those now adopted by the European Community, with the support of the United Kingdom Government.

Lord Young of Graffbam

The number of cars exported to the United States of America in 1987 was as follows:

1. (a) from the United Kingdom 50,391 of which 57 were below 1.5 litres.
2. (b) from the European Community 494,004 of which 5,411 were below 1.5 litres.

All new cars sold in the United States of America are required to meet relevant exhaust emission standards. US standards are broadly equivalent to those due to be introduced in the European Community for large cars (over 2 litres), but more stringent than European standards agreed for medium and small cars.