Cabinet ministers were today urged to "lead by example" and abandon their ministerial Jaguars for more environmentally-friendly hybrid cars.

Labour’s Mary Creagh (Wakefield) said that as she cycled "in and out of the Palace of Westminster" she had "ample opportunity" to observe the ministerial fleet of cars.

While she was "delighted" Defra ministers used hybrid cars, there were still "some cabinet-level Jaguars around the place".

At question time Environment Minister Ian Pearson told MPs the Government was looking to convert some Jaguars to use biofuels as well as ordering more low-carbon vehicles.

To Labour cheers, he informed MPs that he and his fellow Defra ministers had walked to the Commons rather than getting in their cars.

To shouts of "Get her a ministerial car", Ms Creagh said: "As I cycle in and out of the Palace of Westminster I have ample opportunity to observe the ministerial cars and I am delighted that everyone on this front bench this morning is leading by example with their hybrid cars.

"But there are still some cabinet-level Jaguars around the place.

"As a Coventry-born woman I am very reluctant to encourage people to get rid of their Jaguars, however there is a point where politicians have to lead by example and can you encourage your cabinet-level colleagues to take up hybrid cars?"

Mr Pearson answered: "I think you will probably find that the whole Defra ministerial team actually walked here this morning rather than got in our cars which is the right thing to do.

"We always say that we should avoid CO2 emissions first and then look to reduce them. Hybrid vehicles are a way of reducing CO2 emissions."

The Government needed to "do more" when it came to procurement of low-carbon vehicles. "That is exactly what we are doing as well as converting some Jaguars and others to use biofuels," he said.