§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has made an assessment of the potential damage being caused to the ozone layer as a result of exhaust fumes from jet engines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinFor the most part, aircraft operate in the troposphere. Increasingly, however, they are reaching into the lower stratosphere and the Warren Spring laboratory has been asked to consider what contribution they might make to stratospheric ozone depletion. This is an issue that is also the subject of an extensive three-year programme of research by NASA in connection with possible future supersonic transport development programmes. These are important studies, and the results could have a bearing on future policy decisions with regard to aircraft engine emission standards.