§ Mr. Andrew MacKayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the use of halons as fire-fighting chemicals in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TrippierMy Department considered a study, from C. S. Todd and Associates, on halon use in the United Kingdom, which is published today. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The report shows that consumption of halons has fallen by about 25 per cent. since 1986, and that most uses of halons, particularly in portable extinguishers, could be substituted now. It gives a clear indication to industry of the areas where more work is needed to find alternative means of fire protection.
Halons have a very high ozone depletion potential, and therefore we have proposed to other European member states that production and supply of virgin halon should be phased out by 1 January 1995, subject to provisions for essential uses, when we revise the Montreal protocol next year.