HC Deb 24 May 1989 vol 153 cc586-7W
28. Mr. Robert Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of new cars are now capable of running on unleaded petrol.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

It is estimated that 80 per cent. of new cars registered in Great Britain in 1988 could be using unleaded petrol. Of these 33 per cent. could use unleaded petrol straight away and the remaining 47 per cent. after adjustment. Estimates for January 1989 indicate that more than half of the cars currently being registered can now use unleaded petrol without adjustment.

38. Mr. Page

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures for demand for unleaded petrol.

45. Mr. Tredinnick

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the increase in demand for unleaded petrol since the Budget; what proposals he has for encouraging the wider use of lead-free petrol; and what has been the response of other EEC member states to Britain's initiatives to promote lead-free petrol.

47. Mr. Wallace

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intendes to promote further measures to encourage the use of unleaded petrol.

81. Mr. Andrew MacKay

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his Department's campaign to increase the use of unleaded petrol.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The Government are firmly committed to the speedy changeover to unleaded petrol. Last year the average uptake of the fuel amounted to only 1 per cent. of the total petrol sales. Following the significant duty differential introduced by the Chancellor in his Budget this year together with the ongoing work of the unleaded petrol group, which I chair, our recent major television advertising campaign and a range of publicity initiatives by the Department, uptake is estimated to have risen to over 15 per cent. We shall continue to campaign vigorously to increase sales still further.

We led the way in securing agreement in the EEC on the introduction of this environment-friendly fuel. Britain now has the second largest duty differential in favour of unleaded petrol within the EEC and is in the top four countries for uptake.

The changeover to unleaded petrol now is important. It is good for the environment, it makes good financial sense and it paves the way for the introduction of stricter EC vehicle emission standards to which we are committed.