§ Mr. StunellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new cars; and if he will make a statement. [54159]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Government are pursuing a number of measures which will help to reduce the level of carbon dioxide emissions from new cars and the entire car fleet. In the last Budget on 17 March 1998,Official Report, columns 1097–112, the Chancellor announced our commitment to the continuation of the fuel duty escalator raising fuel prices by six per cent. per annum in real terms. This encourages drivers to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles as well as use fuel more efficiently.
We also strongly support the European Commission's Strategy on CO2 from cars which aims to reduce the emissions of CO2 from new cars sold in the EU to an average of 120 grammes per kilometre, by 2005 or 2010 at the latest. This represents a cut of about a third on the current average. The Commission are continuing their negotiations with the car industry to secure a voluntary agreement which will help to achieve the Strategy. It is hoped that these negotiations will be resolved successfully fairly soon.
We have also set up the Cleaner Vehicles Task Force which aims to create a partnership between the Government and the private sector to promote environmentally friendly vehicles which people actually want to drive and buy. The Task Force will encourage the production, marketing and sales of vehicles which are cleaner and more fuel efficient.