HC Deb 15 December 1986 vol 107 cc394-5W
Mr. Neil Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the preliminary indications from his monitoring of the incidence of airborne emissions of lead of the changes resulting from recent EEC directives reducing the lead content of petrol.

Mr. Waldegrave

Air lead levels in the first quarter of 1986 have dropped to an average of 0.29/ug/m3 compared with an average 0.563/ug/m3 during the same period in 1985. This is a direct consequence of the Government's decision to reduce the maximum permitted lead content of petrol by 60 per cent. from 0.4 to 0.15 gm/1, with effect from 31 December last year.