Ministers disregard Government CO2 targets to keep 'gas-guzzlers'
Thu 20 March 2008
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Most ministers are still using high emission vehicles for official business despite pressure on them to switch to lower carbon options. Official figures revealed that 13 of the 20 cars used by cabinet ministers are in the second-highest car tax band and one car is in the top band, with emissions of more than 185g of CO2/km. Overall, 30 of the 85 cars in the Government's ministerial fleet are in band F, according to the Department for Transport.
The Government is aiming to cut the emissions from government cars to 130g/km by the summer but, The Independent reports, a proposal to cut emissions still further sparked disagreement in the Cabinet. Ministers are reported to have clashed over plans to replace British-built ministerial cars with Toyota Prius hybrids, which have become popular in government circles.
John Hutton, the Business Secretary, Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, and Ed Balls, the Children's Secretary, are said to have criticised the move, arguing that switching away from British cars sent the wrong signal to domestic manufacturers.
The Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly's plans to cut government car emissions to 120g/km were said to be backed by David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, and Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary. Ministers requiring specially adapted vehicles for security reasons would be exempt from the emissions rule.
The Government also faced criticism from the Sustainable Development Commission which found that emissions from official cars have risen 1.5 per cent in the past year and warning that performance had "worsened". The SDC report said that eight of the 21 government departments reported "poor progress or no progress" towards meeting targets for cutting emissions from cars. Only 11 of 21 departments were on target to meet the goal.
Friends of the Earth criticised ministers for doing too little to encourage British car manufacturers to build more energy-efficient models. A spokesman said: "The Government should be looking at the ways they can encourage manufacturers to produce greener models. Our manufacturers should be producing really green cars."
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