| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Vehicle Emissions
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the extent of air pollution caused by
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 37
emissions from buses; and what plans he has to restrict such emissions. [10877]
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 38
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The contribution of bus exhaust emissions to air pollution is estimated as follows:
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 37
| (1995 figures) | Volatile organic compounds | Oxides of nitrogen | Carbon monoxide | Sulphur dioxide | Black smoke |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emissions in kilotonnes | 15 | 68 | 66 | 4 | 19.7 |
| Percentage of UK total | 0.6 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 5.5 |
| Percentage of road transport | 3 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 11.1 |
| Percentage of diesel emissions | 21 | 16 | 34 | 12 | 12.1 |
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 37
More stringent emission standards for new and existing buses together with improvements in fuel quality should bring significant improvements in bus emissions. Further improvements in the quality of diesel fuel from 2000 were recently agreed by the Government with their European partners with yet further improvements anticipated from 2005. These measures will further reduce exhaust emissions from all buses. In addition, even tighter emission standards for new buses to apply from 2000 will be prescribed under EU proposals which are expected to be published shortly. Meanwhile, the Chancellor has announced his intention of extending to buses the vehicle excise duty incentive scheme for vehicles that meet more stringent emission requirements.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government plan to publish type approval data showing the levels of toxic emissions for new cars sold in the United Kingdom. [10302]
Ms Jackson:
Data on emissions from different models of passenger cars in connection with MOT test standards are already publicly available. There are some practical problems about making type approval data available in a useful form, not least because many type approvals are done in other EU countries, and the information is therefore complicated and expensive to collate. But we accept the principle of publishing this data and have asked officials to see how this can be achieved.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in how many road accidents the primary cause was recorded as lorry drivers' glasses falling off for each of the last five years.[10361]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
This information is not available. The police and local authorities investigate causes of accidents, and we are looking at ways of incorporating information about causation in the road accident statistics collected by the Department. It is unlikely, however, that the information could be broken down into this level of detail.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the impact of European Union directive 91/439 on the United Kingdom road haulage industry.[10362]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Directive 91/439, most of whose provisions came into force in the UK on 1 January 1997, introduced a requirement for indefinite mutual recognition
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 38
of driving licences by member states, based on a common licence format and common testing and health standards throughout the European Union. The main changes affecting the driving of goods vehicles are:
The costs of any additional training and testing required by these changes will in many cases be borne by new drivers who first obtain a goods vehicle licence on or after 1 January 1997 before they take up employment in the road haulage industry. But some costs are involved for the industry, particularly where employers meet the expense of additional qualifications required by their existing work-force. In the longer term, we would expect the new requirements to lead to better trained and qualified drivers, which will benefit the industry, as well as bringing more general road safety benefits.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the representations made to the Marine Safety Agency concerning the code of safe practice for registered fishing vessels less than 12 m in length. [10389]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I have asked the chief executive of the Marine Safety Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Desmond Swayne, dated 28 July 1997:
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what United Kingdom-French agreements govern the discharge of radioactive material from the La Hague nuclear reprocessing plant; and what notification the Channel Islands authorities received of such agreements. [10425]
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 39
Angela Eagle:
There is no United Kingdom-France bilateral agreement governing the discharge radioactivity, although such an agreement concerning exchange of information in the event of accidental releases of radioactivity does exist.
The UK and France are, however, both signatories to various international conventions and treaties, and are active participants in the work of the many international organisations concerned with radioactivity. Most important is the Euratom treaty under which both the United Kingdom and France are legally bound to adhere to standards of protection from radiation, and to the provision of information on transboundary effects of radioactive waste disposal, including discharges from the La Hague nuclear reprocessing plant. The Channel Islands authorities are aware of these arrangements.
Mr. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what information at the time of the 1989 application for radioactive discharges from the La Hague nuclear reprocessing plant in France was made available to the United Kingdom regarding (a) detectable levels of radioactivity in the English channel and (b) studies made by the French authorities on the transport of radioactive materials from the discharge pipe. [10424]
Angela Eagle:
As regulation of nuclear installations is a matter for national authorities, France was not required to, nor did it, supply the United Kingdom Government with information concerning the 1989 developments at La Hague. However, under article 37 of the Euratom treaty, member states are required to supply general data to the European Commission relating to any plan for the disposal of radioactive waste, including discharges, in whatever form as will make it possible to determine whether the implementation of such plan is liable to result in the contamination of the water, soil or air space of another member state. Data concerning the plan for disposal of waste from the UP3 and the UP2-800 reprocessing plants at La Hague were provided by the French authorities to the Commission on 1 March 1989. United Kingdom experts assisted the Commission in its evaluation. The Commission opinion, that no contamination significant from the point of view of health would result, was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities dated 10 August 1989, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of his Department's trials of oil seed rape for fuel with particular reference to the potential environmental benefits. [10490]
Angela Eagle:
The former Department of Transport co-funded a study with the Department of Trade and Industry which resulted in a report entitled "Alternative Road Transport Fuels--A Preliminary Life-cycle Study for the UK". This report, which was published in March 1996, contains a chapter on biodiesel, which is another term for rape methyl ester produced from rape seed oil. The report states:
28 Jul 1997 : Column: 40
My Department is currently sponsoring comparative trials of both cleaner conventional fuels and alternative fuels, including natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and rape methyl ester produced from rape seed oil. The trials will provide a further indication of the emissions reduction potential of rape methyl ester and of the practicability, reliability and driveability of vehicles that use this fuel. The results of the trials will be published later this year.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 July, Official Report, column 124, if fuel made from rape seed oil is included in the trials of city diesel. [10489]
Angela Eagle:
The comparative trials of alternative fuels which my Department is currently sponsoring include trials of vehicles fuelled with rape methyl ester which is manufactured from rape seed oil. The results of the trials will be published later this year.
Mr. Tyler:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the commercial non-food uses of (a) rape seed oil and (b) chicory which his Department has evaluated. [10972]
Angela Eagle:
I am aware of only one non-food use of rape seed oil which has been evaluated by my Department, and that is its use as a feedstock for the production of a fuel for road vehicles known as rape methyl ester. I am not aware of any uses of chicory which have been evaluated by my Department.
staged testing, requiring drivers to pass a test on a rigid goods vehicle before they may progress to a test for goods vehicles with trailers;
a new driving test, and higher medical standards, for driving goods vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes--an entitlement granted with a car licence before 1997;
a reduction in the size of trailer that may be towed by drivers who passed a large goods vehicle--over 7.5 tonnes--test on a rigid vehicle before 1997;
more stringent eyesight standards for new applicants for large goods vehicle licences.
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your Question about publishing the representations made with regard to the "Code of Safe Practice for Registered Fishing Vessels Less Than 12 Metres Length".
Following the end of the consultation period, it is intended that a summary of all the comments received on the draft Code will be prepared.
"there is no conclusive evidence of the environmental benefits biodiesel may bring, except for reduced sulphur emissions compared with mineral diesel".
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |