§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to increase the number of(a) nitrogen monitoring stations and (b) sulphur dioxide monitoring stations operating in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. TrippierThe Government are taking forward plans, announced in the environment White Paper, for a major expansion of the United Kingdom monitoring networks. Proposals for a new £3 million enhanced urban monitoring programme are currently out to tender. These proposals aim to increase the number of automatic sites measuring nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide from 15 at present to 27 over the next three years. The first phase of the programme will locate new sites in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Newcastle and Birmingham and is expected to be complete early next year.