§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to proposals for a European Community centre of studies of climatic change; and if he will make a statement on the results of discussions held in Madrid for this purpose.
§ Mr. TrippierThere is at present no European Community proposal for a centre for climate change studies. The directors of western European meteorological services have recently established an ad-hoc working group, which first met in Madrid on 5 and 6 June to consider possible initiatives for co-ordinating their activities on climate change issues. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister opened the new Hadley centre for climate prediction and research on 25 May. This will build on the leading work of the United Kingdom Meteorological Office, and international co-operation will be an important part of its remit.