§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made against the EU target for biofuels to reach two per cent. of the petrol and diesel market by December 2005. [144771]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe EU Biofuels Directive (2003/30/EC) requires member states to set indicative targets for sales of biofuels for 2005 and 2010, and provides reference values of 2 per cent. and 5.75 per cent. respectively. Member states must report to the Commission by 1 July 2004, indicating the level of their national indicative targets for 2005.
Current sales of biofuels in the UK are around two million litres a month, which is approximately 0.05 per cent. of the transport fuels market. This represents a dramatic increase since the position prior to July 2002, when the 20 pence per litre fuel duty incentive for biodiesel came into effect.
The Department for Transport will be consulting in early 2004 on its plans for implementing the Directive.