Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to put forward proposals at the next Council of Industry Ministers to initiate industrial developments and changes in industrial design and practice to reduce discharges of gases presently causing global warming.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe agenda for Council of Ministers meetings is determined by the presidency, which is currently held by the Republic of Ireland. Environmental issues such as those cited by the hon. 415W Gentleman have important implications for business and may well be considered by the Industry Council in due course. However, there are no present plans for such discussion. In the meantime, the Department of Trade and Industry environmental programme already contains a range of measures designed to help and encourage firms to respond positively to the challenges and opportunities presented by environmental issues such as global warming.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, at the last meeting of the European Ministers Research Council, held in Brussels on 26 February, he put forward any proposals for(a) European Community collaboration on research to combat the greenhouse effect and global warming climate change and (b) intergovernmental and inter-institutional collaboration on environmental improvement research.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI attended the Research Council on 26 February. This included an exchange with a delegation of Members of the European Parliament on the overall 1990–94 EC R and D framework programme.
The 1990–94 framework programme includes a programme of environmental research (414 mecu or £298 million) which is 59 per cent. larger than the previous EC programme and includes research on the subjects raised by the hon. Member.
An agricultural research programme and a cooperation agreement with EFTA countries on the medical and health research programme were also adopted.