To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to the Statement of 7 July 2008, Official Report, column 1169, on biofuels, what representations he has made to the European Commission on the inclusion of the effects of indirect land use change in European sustainability criteria for biofuels. (279312)

During the Renewable Energy Directive negotiations in 2008, the UK Government led the debate in Europe on the need to address the impacts of indirect land use change for biofuels. As per the statement of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 91WS, this resulted in the introduction of a requirement for the Commission to submit a report to the Council and the European Parliament on the impact of indirect land use change on greenhouse gas emissions by 31 December 2010, and where appropriate a proposal for a methodology for accounting for these. The UK Government are conducting research in this area to help inform the debate on what this methodology will look like.