Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

There are no re-tread tyres procured for Defra Group-operated heavy goods fleets.

Defra Group operates 33 heavy goods vehicles. Three of these vehicles are fitted with re-tread tyres; however, there are only eight re-tread tyres on these vehicles. These tyres are being phased out upon need of replacement.

The Defra Group has not procured any single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months.

The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, set out requirements for re-treaded tyres, as well as brand new tyres. Consumers can be confident in the safety of any tyre that complies with these requirements.