HC Deb 06 March 2002 vol 381 cc362-3W
Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what predicted levels of emissions from traffic the Government are using over(a) five (b) 10 and (c) 20 years periods to meet the Kyoto and successor protocols. [39840]

Mr. Meacher

The latest set of projections was published in the UK's Third National Communication on Climate Change in October 2001. The table provides details of end user emissions from the transport sector. The end user classification re-allocates emissions from the energy supply sector so that a more complete picture is given of transport's contribution to the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. Road transport accounts for over 90 per cent. of the total level of carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector.

The projections include the effect of the fuel duty escalator to 1999, but they do not include the estimated carbon savings from the EU-level voluntary agreements with car manufacturers to reduce CO2 emissions from new cars by 2008–09 or from the 10-Year Plan for Transport. We estimate that the voluntary agreements will save 4 MtC and that the 10-Year Plan will save 1.6 MtC in 2010.

enhanced capital allowance scheme for energy saving technologies. As part of its responsibilities, the Carbon Trust plan to carry out surveys and stakeholder investigations to assess the impact of the scheme. The retail and commercial sector will be among those which will be invited to participate.

Enhanced capital allowances relieve business expenditure against profits for tax and do not apply to private and domestic expenditure.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what incentives exist for installation of energy efficiency equipment to enable the introduction of measures to control plant more efficiently and effectively. [39380]

Mr. Meacher

The Government are committed to encouraging the installation of energy efficiency equipment through the enhanced capital allowance scheme. The scheme was set up in April last year and provides a fiscal incentive for business to purchase and install energy saving technologies. The Carbon Trust will soon take over the management of the enhanced capital allowance scheme and the Government's energy efficiency best practice programme—that offers businesses advice regarding energy efficient and low carbon technologies.

In addition the Energy Saving Trust provides advice and information to the domestic sector.

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