HL Deb 12 May 2004 vol 661 c44WA
The Duke of Montrose

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they keep figures on the total amount of 34 second fuel oil that is used as red diesel and the proportions used in agriculture, in the heating of buildings, in marine engines and for other purposes; and, if so, what are those figures. [HL2600]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)

The Department of Trade and Industry publishes detailed oil information in its annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics, a copy of which can be found in the Libraries of the House. Refiners refer to middle distillate oil as gas oil, sometimes known as "34 second fuel oil". Table 3.4 of the 2003 edition of the digest contains figures for deliveries of gas oil that includes DERV and red diesel.

Total gas oil deliveries in 2002 were 23.3 million tonnes of which 15.6 million tonnes related to DERV. Of the rest, 0.9 million were used for national navigation (marine engines), 0.6 million tonnes in agriculture, and some 1.4 million tonnes were used in domestic, public administration and commerce most probably for space heating.

Red diesel is a rebated diesel for non-road use and marked with a red dye. Although not separately identified in DTI figures, HM Customs and Excise record that some 5.6 million tonnes of red diesel were used in 2002.