§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department is working to ensure that the UK fulfils its obligations under the Montreal Protocol. [148006]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 19 January 2004]: The UK signed and ratified the Montreal Protocol in 1987, and has since ratified the four other amendments, London (1990) Copenhagen (1992) Montreal (1997) and Beijing (1999). The Community has implemented its obligations under the Montreal Protocol through EC Regulation 2037/2000, which is directly applicable in UK law. This Regulation has put in place an accelerated phase-out programme on the supply and use of ozone depleting substances, as EU member states were keen to move faster than the Protocol. A statutory Instrument has been introduced which creates offences and sets penalties for any breaches of the ozone regulation.