§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, during the Downing street seminar on 26 April on the greenhouse effect and energy policy options, any representations were made on the contribution to CO2 pollution made in the processing cycle for nuclear fuel.
§ Mr. ParkinsonNo; the contribution to CO2 pollution from the processing cycle of nuclear fuel is very small and depends on the sources of energy supply used to run the individual processes involved.
Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for 223W Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones), Official Report, 15 May, column 105, what assessment the Government have made of the possibility of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the use of oil and gas.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerCarbon dioxide emissions are an inevitable consequence of the use of any particular fuel containing carbon, although the CO2 release per unit of useful energy varies according to the fuel and the design of the installation. Studies are planned to investigate the possibilities of removing CO2 from flue gas, but these are aimed more at large coal-firing plant which produce more CO2 per unit generated than do gas and oil fired plant.
Cost-effective energy efficiency measures which lead to fuel saving, rather than substitution, can of course reduce CO2 emissions from any fuel source.