§ 3.30 p.m.
§ Lord Hatch of Lusby asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ What were the levels of emission for nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds in 1988 compared with 1987.
§ Lord HeskethMy Lords, estimated emissions (million tonnes) of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic 669 compounds in 1987 and 1988 for the UK are as follows:
These data are extracted from the Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics No. 12, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
1987 1988 Carbon dioxide(1) 159.0 158.0 Carbon monoxide 5.3 5.5 Nitrogen oxides 2.4 2.5 Volatile organic compounds 1.8 1.8 (1) Emissions of carbon dioxide are expressed as carbon.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer. Perhaps I may ask whether he and the Government are satisfied that those figures show any substantial reduction which, as I understand it, is the policy of the Government. If not, what do the Government intend to do about it? Can the Minister tell the House when the figures for 1989 will be available so that we can see what progress, if any, is being made?
§ Lord HeskethMy Lords, I do not have the exact date for when the 1989 figures will be available. As with all the emission figures—as the noble Lord, Lord Hatch, is well aware—we are waiting for the results of the IPCC conference, which comes in the autunm, at which time we shall be able to look further at the results and see what are the challenges that lie ahead.
The Earl of HalsburyMy Lords, does the noble Lord care to remember that there are no nitrous oxides in the plural in exhaust gases? Nitrous oxide in the singular is known as laughing gas and I could prescribe it as an excellent remedy for some of the noble Lord's questions.
§ Lord HeskethMy Lords, I am extremely grateful, having had a patchy educational career in physics, to have had the error pointed out to me by the noble Earl.
§ Lord Graham of EdmontonMy Lords, will the Government tell the House what fresh initiatives they have in mind to deal with these matters and how high a priority the Government give to research into the resources which are being wasted and which are damaging to health? Does the Minister have any statistics regarding the impact upon health in general caused by these emissions, and particularly the costs to the National Health Service?
§ Lord HeskethMy Lords, if the noble Lord, Lord Graham, tables a Question with regard to the impact on health and the National Health Service, my noble friend Lord Henley will be happy to answer him. The most important feature of resolving the difficulties that lie ahead for the world is that they must be dealt with on a worldwide basis. That is why the Government stick strictly to the basis that we wait for the results of the IPCC conference in the autumn whereby on a universal basis—which is the only way we can tackle these problems —we can start to reach judgments.
§ Lord EzraMy Lords, as the noble Lord seems to have so many statistics on emissions at his disposal, can he advise the House what were the emissions of sulphur dioxide for the two years in question?
§ Lord HeskethMy Lords, if the noble Lord, Lord Ezra, tables a Question on that point I shall be more than happy to answer him. I might otherwise mislead your Lordships' House on the basis of the huge number of facts that I have with regard to the four points raised this afternoon by the noble Lord, Lord Hatch, on the Question on the Order Paper.
§ The Earl of SelborneMy Lords, will my noble friend confirm that a very real contribution can be made to pegging the increasing levels of C02 in our atmosphere by forestry and that therefore the present lack of planting, particularly in the private sector, is a matter of long-term concern in that respect?
§ Lord HeskethMy Lords, I not only confirm my noble friend's suggestion, which is absolutely correct, but I also suggest to the noble Lord, Lord Hatch, that he should enthusiastically support nuclear power, which would have an enormous effect on reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, it would indeed reduce carbon dioxide. It would also greatly increase nuclear waste. That is not the Question I am asking this afternoon. Is the noble Lord aware that when he answered my Question he seemed to be very complacent regarding waiting for the IPCC conference? He added in answer to a supplementary question that the only way of dealing with this menace to society is by waiting for the IPCC conference and acting internationally. Surely he is aware that a Select Committee of this House, chaired by the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Carver, pointed out the weakness and danger of that argument. Will he now take responsibility for the Government giving a lead to the rest of the world in reducing these emissions, in particular carbon dioxide, and will he—
§ Lord Hatch of Lusby—attempt to persuade his right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport that one of the main ways of reducing carbon dioxide is to have fewer vehicles on our roads?
§ Lord HeskethMy Lords, in response to the first part of the question of the noble Lord, Lord Hatch, of course the Government take very seriously any Select Committee report. In answer to the second part of his question, this is a global problem. The only way that we can attack a global problem is with a global answer, which is why we are awaiting the IPCC report.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords—