HC Deb 28 January 1993 vol 217 c789W
Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision at the last Budget to widen the tax differential between diesel and other fuels on the use of(a) diesel fuel and (b) diesel vehicles.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

At the last Budget the duties on diesel fuel and unleaded petrol were both increased in line with inflation—4.5 per cent.—while the duty on leaded petrol was increased by an extra 3 per cent. It is too early to assess the impact of the changes in duty. However, the number and proportion of cars and light vans using diesel fuel have increased rapidly over the last 10 years and this trend is expected to continue.