TAX ON BIO-ETHANOL

That this House acknowledges the role that alternative fuels have to play in combating climate change; welcomes the fact that several manufacturers have developed cars which run on E85, a mixture of 85 per cent. ethanol and 15 per cent. petrol, and that such cars produce less than 100g/km of carbon dioxide, making them amongst the least polluting in the world; expresses concern that the current lack of availability of E85 at filling stations makes it an impractical option for most people; notes that the Government currently taxes E85 at a rate in excess of 30 pence per litre; further notes that certain retailers have expressed willingness to provide E85 at filling stations across the UK once the tax is reduced; and calls on the Government to re-address the tax on E85 as part of a revenue neutral reform of fuel duties, so as to encourage its adoption as an alternative fuel that can be certified to have been sourced from a sustainable means of production.