Emissions (Hansard, 17 November 1992)

§ Mr. Dafis
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been undertaken by his Department to date upon the use of selective catalytic reduction upon levels of nitrogen oxide emissions; and what plans he has to support and fund the selective catalytic reductions initiatives in the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Maclean
Technologies for reducing nitrogen oxide emissions, including selective catalytic reduction, have been considered in two items of research commissioned by my Department; a general study of acid emission abatement technologies undertaken by the Fellowship of Engineering, and a report on nitrogen oxide abatement technologies for large combustion plants undertaken by DNV Technica. While I have no plans for funding or other specific support for the development of this technique, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is under a duty to keep such techniques under review for the purposes of part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

§ Mr. Dafis
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to upgrade the United Kingdom plan to cut acid emissions.

§ Mr. Maclean
The United Kingdom is already committed to substantial reductions in acid emissions of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen. We continue to keep these plans under review in the light of both the developing scientific evidence of acid damage and the progress of negotiations, in which the United Kingdom is playing a full part, towards new international agreements for the control of acid emissions.

§ Mr. Dafis
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement upon the impact of the new EC action programme on the environment on Government support for the pollution control authorities in the dealings with plant operations.

§ Mr. Maclean
Among the many issues it addresses, the EC's fifth environmental action programme emphasises the importance of a scheme of integrated pollution prevention and control to regulate the operations of industrial plant. The European Commission is currently working on a proposal in this area. We introduced a scheme of integrated pollution control in the United Kingdom under the Environmental Protection Act [990, which came into force in April 1991 and is now being implemented by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. We therefore welcome the Commission's intentions.