§ Mr. GummerTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her Department's policy on the Government's target to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by 20 per cent. by the year 2010. [46234]
§ Mrs. BeckettThe Government plan to publish a consultation paper on climate change this summer. This will focus on policy options for meeting our legally binding target from Kyoto, but also look at measures that 239W would move beyond that towards our aim of a 20 per cent. reduction in CO2 emissions. We are inviting views from all sectors throughout this consultation process.
As part of the process, we are committed to a new and strong drive to develop renewable energy sources. We inherited a figure of 2 per cent. renewables contribution to UK electricity supplies. This is expected to rise to 5 per cent. by about 2003. On 6 June 1997, Official Report, column 273, my hon. Friend the Minister for Science, Energy and Industry, announced a review of our renewable policy of what would be necessary and practical to meet our target of 10 per cent. of UK electricity supplies from renewables by 2010. I hope to announce the results of that review shortly.