§ Mr. McCabeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, transport and the Regions when his Department's national expert group on transboundary Air Pollution will publish its report into acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone in the UK. [153495]
§ Mr. MeacherThe report of the national expert group on Transboundary Air Pollution will be published today on the internet as a "draft" for comment. I will also arrange for copies to be placed in the House Libraries at that time.
The draft conclusions of the expert group show a mixed picture on the impact of air pollution on ecosystems in the UK. For instance the, reduction in sulphur emissions has led to a 50 per cent. reduction in "acid rain" in the UK in the last 12 years, and as a result, some ecosystems are showing signs of recovery. However, following recent scientific developments, the expert group concludes that the continued impact of air pollution on ecosystems may be more widespread than previously calculated.
471WThe report is being issued in draft to allow the scientific community and other interested parties the opportunity to review and comment on the scientific developments and draft findings before the group publish their final report in August or September 2001.
The draft report will also be available via the DETR's Environment Protection web pages, http:// www.environment.detr.gov.uk/conindex.htm