§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Prime Minister what amount she expects the Government to spend on research into acid deposition in the year 1984–85; and if she will list the different research projects involved.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government expect to spend a total of about £1.8 million in 1984–85 on research into acid rain, principally through the Department of the Environment and the Natural Environment Research Council. A further sum of about £700,000 is expected to be spent through the Meteorological Office on meteorological problems relevant to acid rain although the results will also apply to other areas of air pollution research. A detailed list of projects is not immediately available but the breakdown of work in the different main areas is expected to be broadly as follows:
£ thousands Research on effect of acid deposition: Effects on freshwaters and on freshwater fish and biota 470 Effects on vegetation including forests 250 Effects on rocks and soils 180 Effects on materials 100 Monitoring and research on deposition 420 Atmospheric chemistry and modelling 380 1,800