SIR – The European Commission has proposed a new directive on biofuels, which MEPs will vote on next week.

However the issues are not as clear cut as Neil Marr and Action Aid suggest.

While some biofuels are wasteful, others offer an efficient way of cutting use of fossil hydrocarbons in liquid fuels such as petrol, diesel or kerosene, which we must do to fight climate change.

As Worcestershire’s Lib Dem MEP I am committed to a sustainable future economy, food supply and environment. We must get the balance right.

The limits for biofuel should not be too low.

We will have no chance of getting private firms to invest in green energy in future if politicians first coerce them into spending billions, then move the goalposts to make those investments worthless.

Cutting biofuel production will reduce availability of temperate protein concentrates, to use the scientific term.

This will increase pressure on rainforests as demand for soya accelerates.

However, the American system of forcing maize farming down the biofuel route even during food shortages is ridiculous.

Parliament is now back in session and I am following the debate closely.

Lib Dem MEPs will support the best possible environmental outcome as a whole.

PHIL BENNION MEP

MEP for Worcestershire and West Midlands