HL Deb 20 June 1986 vol 476 cc1170-2

11.29 a.m.

Lord Brougham and Vaux

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what reductions have occurred in the levels of smoke and sulphur dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom since 1970.

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, we can be justifiably proud that smoke emissions in the United Kingdom have been reduced since 1970 from 720,000 tonnes to 190,000 tonnes in 1984, a reduction of 74 per cent. Over the same period sulphur dioxide emissions came down by 42 per cent., from 6.12 million tonnes in 1970 to 3.45 million tonnes in 1984.

We have seen even greater reductions—50 per cent. since 1973—in the average ground level concentrations of these pollutants, which are the important indicators in terms of human health.

Lord Brougham and Vaux

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that very interesting Answer, and also the industry for helping to achieve this great reduction. Will my noble friend say what has been the effect of this dramatic reduction?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I think that the effects have been obvious to everybody who lives in this country. Most of the country no longer experiences the above average winter morbidity and mortality rates which were prevalent, particularly when the two pollutants occurred together, and aggravated illnesses such as bronchitis. There have been amenity benefits in terms of visibility and winter sunshine. Central London now enjoys 70 per cent. more December sunshine than it did in the late 1950s. Over the same period an average winter day's visibility has increased from one and a half to four miles. A similar story can be told for Manchester and our other major cities.

Lord Grimond

My Lords, has the Minister seen that despite these encouraging diminutions of pollution, there are allegations that the damage is still very high, and possibly increasing, both in the Highlands of Scotland and in Sweden? Can this be reconciled? What is the Government's view about the damage done by acid rain and such like? If they are not in a position to give a detailed answer now, would they consider publishing an official statement about the situation?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that question, and especially the terms in which he put it. This is a long and complicated story. It is true that the high stack policy that we have employed in recent years increases longe-range pollution by a factor of 10 or 15 per cent. But as I made clear in my original Answer, this is 10 or 15 per cent. of considerably less than it would have been.

Lord Mackie of Benshie

My Lords, can the Minister say how much of this welcome contraction is due to a reduction in the burning of coal? Can he also say how our measures compare with those of the Federal Republic of West Germany in the number of regulations with regard to the reduction of the sulpur content?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, of course as new methods and greater efficiency in generating, particularly in electricity but also in the use of industrial processes have occurred and will continue to occur, this will reduce sulphur and smoke emissions. I am afraid that I did not hear the question on the Republic of Germany.

Lord Mackie of Benshie

My Lords, do our measures to control pollution through smoke go as far those in the Federal Republic of West Germany?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord. Unfortunately, now having heard the question, I am totally unable to answer it.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon

My Lords, is it not a fact that research in Germany at the present time appears to show that high levels of ozone, produced as a result of nitrous oxide and hydrocarbons, which come mainly from fuel exhausts, are causing the damage there? Can we be assured that the CEGB will continue to spend its £3.7 million on research into sulphur dioxide emissions, and indeed the causes of acid rain and the damage to forests and lakes in Scandinavia and Germany?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, research on a considerable scale is being conducted, as the noble Lord says, in West Germany and in this country by the CEGB and by my own department and others to find out exactly what is causing the damage to trees. Regarding lakes, there is now ample evidence to suggest that damage is due to acid deposition from stacks.