§ 89. Mr. Wrayasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the list of the scientific organisations and individual scientists he has consulted or is consulting with regard to the problems posed by the damage inflicted to the ozone layer.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe Department has established, jointly with the Meteorological Office, the stratospheric ozone review group, to advise on the effect of man-made pollutants on the ozone layer. Its members are:
- Dr. J. Pyle (University of Cambridge)—Chair
- Dr. R. Jones, Dr. A. O'Neill (Meteorological Office)
- Dr. J. Farman (British Antarctic Survey)
- Dr. H. Roscoe (University of Oxford)
- Dr. L. Gray (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)
- Dr. S. Penkett (University of East Anglia)
- Dr. R. Cox (Harwell Laboratory)
- Dr. G. Jenkins (Department of the Environment)
Their first report—"Stratospheric Ozone", Her Majesty's Stationery Office—was published in August this year and a copy has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Wrayasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he or his colleagues in the European Community or other European countries have held consultations aimed at a joint response to the problems which certain industrial and chemical activities cause to the ozone layer;
(2) whether Her Majesty's Government are preparing a joint governmental response to the serious problems caused by damage to the ozone layer.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe United Kingdom, the European Community and seven other member states have signed the Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer. The remaining member states expect to sign by the end of the year. We are already consulting producing and using industries on how to put the provisions of the protocol into practice. In due course the Environment Council will consider those aspects which have to be implemented at Community level. At a meeting of European Environment Ministers on 25 October my noble Friend Lord Belstead suggested wider consultations between the Community and EFTA countries, and in particular closer cooperation on the protocol's provisions for regular scientific review.
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§ Mr. Wrayasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what scientific advice he has received about delays in the adoption of the measures needed in order to avoid further destruction of the ozone layer.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe assessments in the report of the stratospheric ozone review group show that, according to our current knowledge, the stringency and timetable of the measures agreed in the Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer will be adequate to avoid any significant depletion of the global ozone layer. We are keeping in close touch with scientific developments and, as provided in the protocol, will keep the adequacy of the measures under review.
§ Mr. Wrayasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he is giving to British industries which produce aerosol and other similar chemicals about the damage inflicted to the ozone layer of our planet by such products.
§ Mr. MoynihanConcern about the ozone layer is well known to industries in the United Kingdom producing and using chlorofluorocarbons—(CFCs)—and halons, chemicals which have the potential to damage the ozone layer. My Department kept in close touch with them during negotiation of the recently agreed Montreal protocol and we are now consulting them on its implementation. ICI is represented as an observer on the stratospheric ozone research group which will be watching developments closely with a view to producing a second report next year. Discussions were also held at a recent seminar organised by the Chemical Manufacturers Association in Edinburgh to review the subject of the antarctic ozone hole and related matters.
§ Mr. Wrayasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his assessment of the outcome of the meeting recently held in Canada about the problems created by the ozone layer.
§ Mr. MoynihanIt is the Government's view that the agreement at the diplomatic conference in Montreal on 16 September of a protocol to control production and consumption of ozone layer depleting substances is a significant environmental achievement.
§ Mr. Wrayasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has had talks regarding extra funding to research departments of universities on matters related to aerosols and similar products and about their impact on the ozone layer.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe Department is funding a programme of research into stratospheric ozone, including the effects of aerosols propellants at the following establishments:
- Harwell Laboratory (laboratory Kinetics)
- University of Cambridge (Computer Modelling)
- University of Oxford (Balloon Measurements)
- British Antartic Survey (Antarctic Ozone)
- National Physical Laboratory (Instrument Development)
- Inscon (Monitoring Chlorofluorocarbons)
In addition, there are substantial research programmes run by the Meteorological Office and Science and Engineering Research Council, with which we keep in close touch.