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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the potential benefits for the farming sector of the (a) introduction of E10 and (b) future use of bioethanol.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not had any meetings with the Secretary of State for Transport on the potential benefits for the farming sector of the introduction of E10 or future use of bioethanol.

In increasing targets under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation in April, the Government made clear that moving to E10 fuel could make achieving the UK’s renewable energy targets easier and provide wider economic benefits including in the agricultural sector.

The Department for Transport ran a call for evidence last year on whether, and how best, E10 could be introduced in the UK. Any decision to introduce the new grade of petrol must balance the needs of consumers with the emissions reductions it could help to deliver. The Government will be publishing its next steps on E10 petrol later in the year.