Gordon Brown’s cabinet clashed recently over whether to replace British-built ministerial cars with hybrid vehicles, amid claims that that the cabinet are failing to reduce their contribution to CO2 emissions.
John Hutton, the business secretary, led the criticism of the plan along with other senior ministers, including Jack Straw, the justice secretary, and Ed Balls, the schools secretary, who argued that the move sent out the wrong message to domestic manufacturers.
Later this year, all cars used by ministers and senior civil servants will have to have carbon emissions below 130g/km, ruling out British-built cars such as Jaguars and Range Rovers.
The issue sparked a heated row after Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, opened a debate on whether to change the government car fleet with low-emission cars such as the Toyota Prius.
Ruth Kelly suggested the government could use a more ambitious target of 120g/km, an idea backed by David Miliband, the foreign secretary, and Hilary Benn, the environment secretary.
Although the government policy does not specify the use of any particular make, the Japanese-made Toyota Prius cars are now widely in use across Whitehall.
Mr Hutton set out his views to a Commons committee last year when he explained his decision to choose a ministerial Jaguar. “I support the fact that ministers can choose a hybrid car if that is what they want, but I chose British.
“I would like to see more UK hybrids and there is a real opportunity there for British manufacturers but I do not think that the answer is to force everyone to drive around in bubble cars.”
Mr Brown’s spokesman admitted the government “needs to do more” to meet its own targets to cut carbon emissions, following a critical report by the Sustainable Development Commission. It found that two-thirds of government departments were not on track to meet their 12.5 per cent carbon reduction target by 2010/11, and that emissions from vehicles were “an area of serious concern”.
Rebecca Willis, the vice-chair of the commission, said: “Government as a whole needs to take radical action to put its own house in order if it is to be in a position to lead by example.”

The pressure is now on for British manufacturers to produce lower emission vehicles.