CUMMINS has become the latest manufacturer to distance itself from the vehicle emissions scandal, as the Government urgently demands answers from US officials over accusations that Fiat Chrysler vehicles could be violating pollution laws.

Indiana-based Cummins, which has engine and exhaust manufacturing plants in Darlington, said it does not supply engines for the Fiat Chrysler vehicles that are discussed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Notice of Violation issued, nor was Cummins named.

A spokesman said: “Cummins does not use defeat devices and is committed to meeting emissions standards. Cummins has a long history of working transparently and collaboratively with regulators to develop and meet emissions requirements.”

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it has contacted the US EPA over claims Fiat Chrysler failed to disclose software in some of its diesel vehicles that allows them to emit more pollution than permitted.

The agency issued a notice of violation to the car maker covering 104,000 vehicles, including the 2014 to 16 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram pick-ups, which are not widely available in the UK.

The EPA is investigating whether the vehicles were fitted with so-called defeat devices which can turn off pollution controls.

The devices were at the centre of the emissions scandal that engulfed Volkswagen in 2015.

Volkswagen has agreed a £12.3bn settlement for motorists in the US but has faced criticism for not offering similar pay-outs in the UK.

It has also pleaded guilty to three criminal charges in the US and will pay a £3.5bn penalty.

A DfT spokesman said: “Our priority is to protect the interests of UK consumers and we will also be seeking information from the manufacturer regarding vehicles in the UK market. The department’s new Market Surveillance Unit has the ability to test these vehicles if necessary.”

Environmental Audit Committee chairwoman Mary Creagh said Transport Secretary Chris Grayling must reveal what the DfT knew about Fiat Chrysler vehicles when they were tested in the UK, given that the European Commission is taking action against the UK over its failure to disclose all technical information gathered in its investigation of the Volkswagen scandal. Ms Creagh accused the Government of being “too slow” to act compared with the US, “where six executives... were named, and a description of exactly what happened over the past ten years with these cheat devices is now in the public domain”. This was denied by the car maker in this week’s update.