HC Deb 21 March 1990 vol 169 c677W
79. Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department is taking to reduce acid deposition by the year 2000.

Mr. Trippier

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 19 February at column481.

Mr. Gould

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list current United Kingdom publicly funded research programmes into the impacts of acid rain deposition on sensitive British ecosystems, stating funding levels and research bodies;

(2) If he will make a statement on progress on the current publicly funded research concerning the impact of acid deposition on sensitive British ecosystems and its findings;

(3) what is the current United Kingdom publicly funded research programme on critical loads and acid rain; and what are the findings.

Mr. Chris Patten

In the current financial year, United Kingdom publicly funded research on acid deposition and critical loads can be summarised as follows:

Funding body 1989–90 £k
Department of the Environment 14,90.0
Meteorological Office 37.0
Nature Conservancy Council 94.0
Natural Environment Research Council 160.0
Agriculture and Food Research Council 48.0
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 186.0
Total 1989–90 20,50.0

The United Kingdom plays a prominent international role in the development of the critical loads approach to pollution control. This very substantial programme of research informs that role, and is also part of our overall policy of basing action on the best scientific information that can be obtained.

The Department has established several review groups of scientific experts to examine and assess research and to recommend priorities in the field of acid rain deposition and critical loads. The United Kindom terrestrial effects and acid waters review groups, and the review group on acid rain have all produced reports, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. The critical loads advisory group and the terrestrial effects sub-group on trees are expected to report by the end of this year.