§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to support the growth of the environmental technology industry. [1161]
§ Mr. PageThe Department of Trade and Industry will continue to work with the environmental industry, including technology suppliers, to improve its competitiveness in world markets. In particular, the joint environmental markets unit, established by the DTI and the Department of the Environment, is supporting the industry's efforts to exploit the substantial market opportunities which are being generated by rising environmental standards at home and overseas. It is assisting the industry to identify these opportunities and to raise its profile overseas. The unit is promoting collaboration between the various organisations representing the industry to achieve the co-ordinated response to environmental problems which world markets now demand; and it will work with the industry through the technology foresight process to address technological challenges for the future.
§ Mr. CunninghamTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of United Kingdom exports were generated by the environmental technology industry in each year since 1992–93. [1162]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThere is no standard definition of "the environmental technology industry". United Kingdom exports of pollution control and monitoring equipment generated 0.4 per cent. of total exports in 1992, and 0.5 per cent. in 1993 and 1994.
Using a definition of the environmental products industries as producing "a product which enhances or prevents the deterioration of the external environment", it is estimated that exports of all environmental products made up 0.8 per cent. of total UK exports in 1992. Estimates have not been made for later years.