Written question asked by Maria Eagle (Labour) on Wednesday, 14 December 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 19 December 2011. It was answered by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 20 December 2011 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Biofuels: Imports

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information her Department holds on the amount of biofuel imported from overseas in each of the last 10 years; which countries such biofuels were imported from; and if she will estimate the effect on carbon emissions levels of the use of imported biofuel in each such year.

Answer: Details of the country of origin of feedstocks for biofuels and associated greenhouse gas savings are available from the introduction of the renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO) in 2008.This information is available in the RTFO Administrator's reports to Parliament for 2008-09 and 2009-10 can be found online at:"http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/other/9780108508868/9780108508868.pdf"and"http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/other/9780108509681/9780108509681.pdf"Further detail can be found in the RTFO Administrator's reports on the supply of biofuel to the UK, available online at:"http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110407094507/http://www.renewablefuelsagency.gov.uk/sites/rfa/files/_documents/RFA_verified_report_RTFO_year_one.pdf"and here:"http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110407094507/http://www.renewablefuelsagency.gov.uk/sites/rfa/files/24_RFA_verified_report_RTFO_year_two_v1.0.0_0.pdf"Provisional data for 2010-11 can be found online here:"http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/releases/biofuels_april_2011/rtfoaug2011.pdf"and a verified report will be published in the new year.

Secondary information