The Earl of SELKIRKasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Meteorological Office have reached any general conclusions on the causes which led to the summer of 1976 being exceptionally dry and the winter of 1976–77 being exceptionally wet.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMThe inherent variability of the atmosphere makes it difficult to trace simple cause and effect relationships. Limited studies of last summer and autumn have been carried out but more research involving extensive and costly use of large computers would be required in order to reach any positive conclusions.