§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to support the proposals due to be considered by the European Commission in March to impose national emission ceilings on acid rain gases; and if he will make a statement. [74372]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Government have supported the EC Acidification Strategy as a means of reducing ecosystem damage from acid emissions, and will continue to do so. It also supports the principle of a national emission ceilings directive. The Government will give careful consideration to the detail of the proposed directive once it has been 843W published by the European Commission. Both the Strategy and the proposed directive will take forward the large reductions the UK has already achieved and further reductions planned for sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions. Between 1990 and 1996 the UK reduced total sulphur dioxide emissions by 46% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 25%. Current policies are expected to deliver reductions of 74% and 58% respectively by 2010.