§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what estimates he has made of the number of vehicle refuelling points in the UK in each of the last four years for(a) liquefied petroleum gas, (b) compressed natural gas and (c) hydrogen/fuel cell technology; [45896]
958W(2) what estimates he has made of the number of vehicles in the UK for each of the last four years which were powered by (a) liquefied petroleum gas, (b) compressed natural gas and (c) hydrogen/fuel cell technology; [45895]
(3) what (a) representations he has received from and (b) meetings he has had with vehicle manufacturers on measures to create incentives for investment in higher volumes of vehicles propelled by road fuel gases after 2004; [45894]
(4) if he will make it his policy to set a target for the UK's consumption of liquefied petroleum gas as a road fuel as a proportion of total fuel consumption for vehicle propulsion. [45897]
§ Mr. JamiesonMy Department sponsors the Energy Saving Trust's Powershift programme which provides grants towards the cost of purchasing cleaner fuel vehicles. Last year, following an extensive consultation with vehicle manufacturers and fuel suppliers, I announced changes to the programme which offered higher levels of grants for manufacturer-approved LPG vehicles. This move is intended to encourage more manufacturers to invest in the development of production-line LPG vehicles. My Department maintains close links with vehicle manufacturers to keep track of their plans to introduce LPG models.
The Government's general policy has been to encourage the wider use of LPG through fuel duty incentives and purchase grants offered under the Powershift programme rather than by setting an outright target for LPG consumption. Where Government does set targets these will tend to be based on environmental performance rather than specifying particular fuels or technologies.
The table shows how the numbers of LPG vehicles and refuelling points have increased in the UK over the last four years (figures supplied by the LP Gas Association).
Year Number of vehicles Number of refuelling points 1998 3,500 150 1999 13,000 285 2000 39,000 610 2001 65,000 1,000 The take up of natural gas vehicles has been much slower. Over the last four years the population of natural gas vehicles has grown by around 50 vehicles per year with a total of 10 refuelling points over the same period.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is still in its infancy and there are, as yet, no hydrogen refuelling points for vehicles in the UK. However, the Government will be supporting a hydrogen refuelling point to be used in conjunction with a trial of three fuel cell buses in London expected to start in 2003.