§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of Her Majesty's Government's Ministers currently have use of a ministerial car and driver; how many such cars have been adapted to use lead-free petrol; what action is being taken to convert all ministerial cars; and what action is being taken to encourage all Government Departments to adapt their vehicle fleets to use lead-free petrol.
§ Mr. ChopeAt present the Government car service provides 79 ministerial cars and drivers for use of Ministers. Of the vehicles involved, 25 are capable of running on lead-free petrol. The remaining vehicles, none of which can be coverted to run on lead-free petrol, will be replaced with vehicles capable of running on lead-free fuel, in line with our normal replacement policy.
The Crown Suppliers (a trading fund of the Property Services Agency) which supplies vehicles to various Government Departments has already implemented a policy of purchasing vehicles which can run on lead-free petrol, and a programme of converting other vehicles which can be adapted to run on lead-free petrol.
All Government Departments are being encouraged to adapt existing vehicles to lead-free running where this can be done, or to replace existing vehicles with others capable of running on lead-free fuel as replacements become due.