§ Mr. Ian TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, if he will make a statement about the production of HFCs.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe Government have no plans to ban the production of HFCs because we regard them as important alternatives for some uses of CFCs and HCFCs, particularly in refrigeration. Their production is bound to increase as those substances are phased out. They are, however, greenhouse gases and, subject to the decisions of next year's conference of parties, the climate change convention requires developed countries to take actions aimed at returning their emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. Such actions must not damage our efforts to phase out CFCs and HCFCs as quickly as possible. The United Kingdom's climate change programme, published last week, therefore commits the Government to explore with HFC producers and consumers the scope for agreements to ensure that, where HFCs are used, emissions to the atmosphere are minimised, and that HFCs are not used where emissions are unavoidable if safe, practical and more environmentally acceptable alternatives are available.