§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the reduction in carbon monoxide emissions over a 10-year period that would be achieved by replacing two 1200MW coal-fired power stations with two gas-fired power stations of the same capacity. [101832]
§ Mr. MeacherThe amount of carbon monoxide emitted over a 10-year period will depend on a number of factors including, critically, the number of hours that the plant will operate over that time. For this reason an answer in tonnage cannot be given. We might expect, however, that a combined cycle gas turbine power station would emit approximately 5 per cent. of the carbon monoxide a similar capacity and similarly loaded coal-fired power station would. In total, power stations contribute only 1 per cent. to total carbon monoxide emissions in the UK.