1739hrs - We're going to wrap up here. It was an interesting session, with some sharp questioning from MPs and a stern defence from Willis.
The key revelations appear to be:
Around 400,000 UK cars need injector replacement at worst; the extra tank that's required in some American vehicles won't be needed here.
There are increasingly wide calls for the official test procedure to be modernised sooner rather than later.
VW's defeat device did influence the NOx emissions of cars on UK roads - which means it was operational during at least some NEDC EU tests.
1733hrs - Interesting to see MPs criticising Willis, since his departure from the meeting, for continually prefixing his answers with the phrase, "I'm not an engineer…"
Yet when McLoughlin is asked if the Department for Transport has done any physical checks on vehicles, he replies, "I'm going to risk your wrath here by saying this, but I'm not an engineer…".
Laughter breaks out in the room, from the panel and the witness desk; clearly it's funny if an MP says that line, but not a car company boss.
1731hrs - McLoughlin says there are some car companies who have not yet responded to letters asking them to reassure the Government that they don't have defeat devices fitted to any of their vehicles.
He says they've got until the end of the month to respond. But he adds, "These are reputable companies, in the main. We have an enviable record on car production in this country, and on engine production."
1722hrs - Willis and Hawes have now left the room. The Minister for Transport Patrick McLoughlin is now answering questions.
He says he was first aware of the dieselgate problem on the weekend of 18th September. He says he believes VW has behaved "in an appalling way".
1720hrs - Hawes adds that the forthcoming real-world emissions standards will help to rebuild confidence.
"We will ensure that this real-world driving emissions regulation will be delivering real-world emissions betterment," he says, "and the investment in those technologies will continue to improve. Customers can be assured that the vehicles they buy will remain fit for purpose and will deliver the reliability, safety and emissions performance they expect."
1718hrs - Mike Hawes says he's not sure if the motor industry has been really hurt by the scandal.
"It would be premature to say that the reputation of the motor industry has been damaged by this," he says. "The industry is doing a lot to address air quality issues, and we will continue to make significant investments to make sure those issues are addressed. This issue around regulation and its impact in the real world is one that is being addressed and has the full support of the industry."
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Giving VW an easy ride
Transport Select Commitee...god help us!
A more ignorant, fatuous, hopeless band of state funded oxygen thieves would be difficult to imagine.
They thought they looked clever...in fact they made themselves look clueless.
One bumptious idiot to the right of the screen repeatedly aske technical questions of a man who is clearly the figurehead of VW UK NOT as he kept repeating, an engineer. Clearly this committee member was too busy trying to look smart to actually listen to what he was being told....I am not entirely sure that had Paul actually bought an engineer with him to answer these pointless questions - any of them would have actually understood the answer.
Then a silver haired idiot to the left of the screen started chiming on about lost taxation revenues...priceless...part of the transport select committee and doesn't actually know that vehicle taxation is based on Co2 and NOT NOX emissions.
What a bunch of time wasters...never mind, I expect they were well recompensed for their time!
289 wrote: aske technical
absolutely agree on the oxygen thieve idea, but dismissing questions with 'i am not an engineer' is likewise absolutely unacceptable.
This is a hearing about a topic that is highly technical in nature. He should preferably have rolled his sleeves up and done his homework, or, as you say, bring along someone. Understanding the answer is a different matter, but smart people are able to explain complex things to the layperson too.
Deny - and deflect.