§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, following the agreement of European Community Environment Ministers in Luxembourg on 9 June on the use of catalytic converters in small cars from December 1992, he has made an assessment of the increased contribution to the greenhouse effect that will be caused by carbon dioxide and water vapour released in exhaust gases from United Kingdom-based cars, in the period to the year 2000.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 19 June 1989]: Yes. A United Kingdom fleet of 3-way catalyst cars would emit about 7.5 million tonnes per annum more carbon dioxide than a fleet of vehicles conforming to the standards of the common position reached by Environment Ministers last November. The emission of water vapour from cars does not have a significant input on the greenhouse effect.