§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has of the effect on morbidity of catalytic converters fitted to cars.
§ Mr. SackvilleI have been asked to reply.
We are not aware of any epidemiological evidence that catalytic converters fitted to motor cars or any other vehicles with internal combustion engines influence morbidity. The converters reduce the emissions of pollutant gases and particles, which would be expected to be beneficial, but emit very low levels of the catalytic metals. The level of metals emitted are likely to be so low as to have minimal, if any, effect on morbidity.