§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of the vehicles due for replacement by(a) his Department and (b) bodies listed in the National Asset Register in (i) 1998–99, (ii) 1999–2000 and 220W (iii) 2000–01 will be replaced by vehicles using (1) petrol, (2) diesel, (3) natural gas, (4) electric batteries and (5) other. [52626]
§ Mr. KilfoyleThis answer covers the Prime Minister's Office, the Cabinet Office (including its Agencies), but excludes the Government Car and Despatch Agency, for which I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson, to reply to the hon. Member direct.
A total of 65 vehicles are leased, of which 17 fall due for replacement during 1998–99. 14 of these will use unleaded petrol and three will use diesel. 44 of the remaining 48 vehicles become due for replacement during 1999–2000, of which six will use unleaded petrol and 38 will use diesel. The replacement of the remaining four vehicles will depend on the success, or otherwise, of a PFI exercise currently under way. Should it prove necessary to replace them, it will be done on a like for like basis. There are no vehicles due for replacement in 2000–01.
Letter from Nick Matheson to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated July 1998:
221WThe Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service, has asked me in my capacity as Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to reply to your Parliamentary Question about this Agency's vehicle replacement programme.As I stated in my letter of 21 July I anticipate replacing a total of 172 vehicles over the next three years.This Agency has been investigating the use of alternative fuels since 1993. In November 1997 the Prime Minister announced that this Agency would be replacing its car fleet over the next five years with vehicles that can run on both gas and petrol. The figures quoted for gas refer to these bi-fuelled vehicles. Replacement of petrol only fuelled vehicles will continue where there are no gas conversions available for replacement models, or where security or other factors require petrol only fuelled vehicles to be retained.The Agency has also looked at the use of electric powered vehicles, and worked closely with Ford on the development of its Ecostar van. However, these alternatives are not yet commercially viable.An exact breakdown of the information you requested is set out in the following table:
Year Petrol Diesel Gas Electric Other 1998–99 23 19 20 0 0 1999–2000 9 20 10 0 0 2000–01 26 19 26 0 0