VW vehicle emissions scandal: MPs to grill leading figures over rigged data

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MPs will demand to know why there are serious inconsistencies between diesel car emissions data in testing laboratories and on the road as the Volkswagen scandal reaches Parliament.

VW’s UK managing director, Paul Willis, and Paul Higgs, chief executive of the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA), which tests for emissions, are among witnesses due before the House of Commons Transport Select Committee.

The discovery that VW had rigged emissions data was made by testing agencies in the US rather than the UK, even though the VCA is supposed to be among the best of its kind in the world. Its inspectors oversee tests which include measuring fuel efficiency and carbon monoxide levels, and try to reproduce conditions they would experience in busy cities. The VCA admits on its website that tests “cannot be fully representative of real-life driving conditions”, which some believe gives companies the opportunity to hide the actual pollution their vehicles cause.

The UK is one of the worst-affected countries, with almost 1.2 million VW-made cars being recalled, including nearly 132,000 Skodas and more than 393,000 Audis. VW could face fines of some $18bn (£11.7bn) in the US, where nearly 500,000 vehicles were recalled last month.

Around 11 million vehicles globally were fitted with software that helped them to defeat tests, by putting maximum anti-pollution controls in place for inspection, only to relax them for better performance when cars hit the road.

Louise Ellman, the Labour MP who chairs the Transport Committee, told The Independent: “The scandal of VW’s deliberate deception is very high profile, but it is equally important to know why there is a discrepancy between conditions in the lab and conditions on the road.”

A source close to the committee added that there are “ongoing concerns” about how much was known among testers and industry executives about these discrepancies “and what action is now being taken”.

Also facing the committee are the Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, and two senior officials, Michael Hurwitz and Ian Yarnold. Mike Hawes, chief executive at the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders, completes the line-up.

Mr McLoughlin faces questioning over reports that civil servants in another department (Environment) were aware two years ago about emissions data discrepancies from VW vehicles and those of other manufacturers, but did nothing.

Last month, Mr McLoughlin started an investigation that will see cars re-tested to compare laboratory results with driving emissions on the road. He said at the time: “The Government’s priority is to protect the public and I understand VW are contacting all UK customers affected. I have made clear to the managing director this needs to happen as soon as possible.”

Last week, VW’s US operations chief, Michael Horn, told a congressional committee that it was “a couple of software engineers who put this [testing defeat device] in for whatever reason”.