§ Mr. Shersbyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list his principal achievements in the field of improving the environment; and what plans he has for the future.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 9 May 1986 at column265 and my own 199W statement of 4 February 1987 at column 726. Since those statements we have continued to act to protect and enhance the environment.
The Govermnent have endorsed the Central Electricity Generating Board's plans to install low nitrogen oxide burners at its largest power stations, and at all future fossil-fuel fired power stations.
The Department has continued to promote the introduction of unleaded petrol, which is currently available at 260 service stations.
We sponsored the international pollution abatement fair and conference as a contribution to European Year of the Environment. At the conference I launched the environmental protection technology scheme, which aims to encourage innovation in the fields of pollution abatement and cleaner technologies.
Research on antifouling paints containing tributyl tin has increasingly shown them to be responsible for damage to marine life. Regulations were laid before the House on 7 May which will ban the retail supply of antifouling paints and treatments containing triorganotins, including TBT, from 28 May.
On 10 March the Government issued the Farming and Rural enterprise package which set out our policies for agriculture and for encouraging enterprise and development in rural areas.
On 8 May the Department issued the circular Development Involving Agricultural Land which stresses the importance of considering together the agricultural, environmental and economic aspects of planning proposals affecting agricultural land.