New Clause 3 - Fuel duty differential for biodiesel

Part of Finance Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 8:45 pm ar 26 Mehefin 2012.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Chloe Smith Chloe Smith The Economic Secretary to the Treasury 8:45, 26 Mehefin 2012

If I may, Mr Bone, I shall read into your words the suggestion that the question should be tackled in correspondence, which I am happy to do, because it does not refer to the subject of the new clause. Mr Bone is nodding at me, which means I will have to leave that there.

Clearly, costs ballooning out of control on a differential system would be a problem and value for money is particularly important at this time. Given that biodiesel derived from waste cooking oil is already incentivised through the RTFO, re-providing a differential in tandem would not represent the value for money that we seek.

The Government strongly believe that the RTFO delivers effective and sustainable market-based support to the biofuels industry. I thank my hon. Friends the Members for Bristol West and for Redcar, who spoke about the new clause, and, indeed, my right hon. Friend  the Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, who does not serve on the Committee, for their interest in the subject and their work on behalf of the industry to promote its success. I greatly hope that we can provide for that success through the system that is in place.

I reassure all members of the Committee, including in response to the question about capital assessment, that where further assessment or data-seeking is required, the Government are constantly talking to industry, and that dialogue will continue.

With that, I ask my hon. Friend not to press the motion.