Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the use of (a) low carbon and (b) synthetic fuels for L-Category vehicles in the transition to net zero.

The consultation on when to end the sale of new non-zero emission L-category vehicles was open to responses from 14 July to 21 September 2022 and was supported by a thorough programme of stakeholder engagement. We are now analysing the responses and will bring forward the Government’s response in due course.

The Government’s approach to delivering its ambitions for greener transport is not outcome neutral - the end goal must be zero exhaust emissions. Vehicles that burn synthetic fuels still emit air pollutants at the exhaust. However, the Government understands the need to decarbonise vehicles on the road today and the potential contribution synthetic fuels can make. This is why the Government has increased targets for the supply of low carbon fuels under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and will continue to review that scheme to ensure that it can continue to support delivery of its carbon budgets.

Synthetics and other alternative fuels can be expensive, energy intensive to produce and do not always improve air quality. They show greatest potential in areas that are difficult to electrify, such as aviation. Relying on synthetic fuels to decarbonise road transport would put the UK at risk of failing to meet its economy wide targets on both CO₂ and air pollution emissions.