§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the cost of acquiring the Jaguar 4.01 LWB for the use of the Deputy Prime Minister and the subsequent cost of conversion to an alternative fuel system. [32991]
§ Mr. PrescottThe cost to the Government Car Service (GCS) of acquiring the second hand P registered Jaguar which I currently use was £35,000. For technical reasons,700W Jaguar Cars Limited advise that this car cannot be converted economically to operate on alternative fuels and the cost of its conversion does not therefore arise.
Following several months of discussion between the GCS and Jaguar Cars Ltd., the company has offered the GCS the opportunity to replace the current car with a similar, P registered ex-test vehicle which can be converted easily to run on LPG. This car will be made available by Jaguar Cars Ltd. at no change in cost to the public purse.
The proposed arrangement represents an excellent opportunity for the Government to work with a major British engineering company to achieve a showcase environmentally friendly vehicle development. The replacement car will therefore be brought into service as soon as possible and will be exhibited at a Green Car Exhibition which I will be opening in Chester on 25 April on occasion of the Informal Meeting of the EU Environment and Transport Councils.