§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the dangers that can be caused by the discharge of an excessive level of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere over Scotland.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonEmissions of sulphur dioxide from Scottish sources amount to less than 5 per cent, of United Kingdom emissions. There is no evidence that current levels of SO2 in the atmosphere are having any direct effect on human, animal or plant health, but SO2 emissions can contribute to the acidification of 477W freshwaters. A considerable monitoring and research programme, with substantial Government funding, is being undertaken in Scotland to assess the levels and effects of deposition.
§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the dangers that can be caused by the discharge of an excessive level of heavy metals into the atmosphere over Scotland.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThere is no evidence that current levels of heavy metals discharged into the atmosphere in Scotland are having any effect on human, animal, fish or plant health.
§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment is made by his Department of the level of heavy metals discharged into the atmosphere over Scotland annually from the burning of fossil fuels by electricity generating stations in England and Wales; what are the levels for the remaining discharge of heavy metals; and what is treated as a safe level.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonAssessments of the concentrations of heavy metals in the atmosphere in Scotland are carried out on behalf of the Scottish Development Department by the Warren Spring laboratory. It would he very difficult at present to establish the proportion arising from power stations in England and Wales, but it is likely to be negligible.
The concentrations of lead recorded in Scotland have been within the limit value set by the EC directive for lead in air. No generally accepted concentration is set for other elements, but the levels recorded in Scotland have been below mean levels normally recorded in urban atmospheres in the United Kingdom.
§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measurements are made by his Department to assess the emissions of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere in Scotland.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonMeasurements of the levels of sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere are not made as a matter of routine by the Scottish Development Department, but are undertaken as part of a survey organised on a national basis under the auspices of the Warren Spring laboratory of the Department of Trade and Industry and funded by the Department of the Environment.