To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the cost of extending the rebate in graduated vehicle excise duty to otherwise-qualifying liquefied petroleum gas vehicles registered prior to March 2001; and if she will make a statement. (156838)

Based on the figure of licensed vehicles as at end June 2007, the estimated revenue cost of extending the alternative fuel rate of graduated vehicle excise duty to light private goods powered vehicles registered before 2001 and currently licensed would be between £400,000 and £550,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the environmental effects of encouraging the use of liquefied petroleum gas and other low emissions vehicles; and if she will make a statement. (156839)

Recent research undertaken by the Department suggests that, in comparison with petrol-powered equivalents, cars professionally retrofitted to run on liquefied petroleum gas may offer some advantage in terms of CO₂ emissions, but generally perform no better in terms of air quality emissions than the equivalent petrol vehicles. The findings of the research will be available on the Department for Transport website at www.dft.gov.uk and copies will be available in the Library of the House.