Erin Baker: In support of the diesel

1. Commercial and domestic properties produce more than half the particulates that pollute our cities: more than four times that of private cars. Who’s conducting an urgent review of building energy regulations?

2. The Government incentivised diesel purchases: you can’t suddenly turn round and say you’ve changed your mind to the motorist who bought in good faith.

3. Nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide particulates emitted by new diesels are comparable with petrol engine particulates.

4. EU6 standards for diesel engines have meant the virtual elimination of NOx. The naysayers conveniently ignore that fact.

5. Private diesel drivers in London are responsible for just 11 per cent of the air quality issue, according to figures from the London Assembly.

6. Trucks and vans produce 17 per cent of NOx emissions in London, with buses and coaches producing 10 per cent. Yet no one came down on local authorities years ago like a ton of bricks in the way they have private drivers. No one made public-transport fleet purchasers the bogeymen.

7. The British Medical Journal recently said emissions from wood burners accounted for 17 per cent of particulate emissions in 2013 - only marginally less than the 18 per cent caused by all road transport. So which politician is banging on the door of the middle classes about their wood burners?

8. Domestic gas consumption is responsible for one third of NOx produced in inner London, according to the Greater London Authority.

9. Air damage caused by the rail sector might have been seriously underestimated, according to a study by Kings College London. 

10. The industry needs sales of new diesel cars to continue alongside petrol engines in order to finance the new generation of electric cars coming down the line; they’re not going to appear out of goodwill and charity. 

11. The car industry has its house in order: in the last decade, it has reduced CO2 emissions by 25 per cent, NOx by 84 per cent and particulates by 95 per cent. High time other sectors got collared and the auto industry got left alone.

 * with thanks to Jeremy Hicks, JLR’s Managing Director