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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations, if any, they have made to British Members of the European Parliament about voting against European Union legislation requiring countries to carry out spot checks on the emissions of vehicles under real operating conditions.

In July this year, Defra prepared a voting brief for British MEPs concerning the revised National Emission Ceilings Directive. This advised MEPs to oppose an amendment which included the introduction of spot checks on vehicle emissions under real operating conditions, because the aim of the amendment and how it related to existing regimes was unclear. The Government supports the implementation of real driving emissions testing for vehicles but strongly believes that this should be addressed in the appropriate legislation to ensure clarity.