§ 124. Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the value of the global market in environmentally friendly technology; and what steps he is taking to urge British companies to take a major share of this market.
§ Mr. ForthEnvironmentally friendly technology is a portmanteau term which can be applied to an enormous selection of goods and services, from biodegradable washing powder to the fitting of flue gas desulphurisation processes to power stations. It is, therefore, impossible to state a single figure for the global market. However, the current estimate of the world market for pollution control products and services is £100 billion a year.
The Department of Trade and Industry has set up the business and the environment unit (BEU) to focus on specific key areas of the DTI environmental programme, such as waste management, clean technology and pollution control. The BEU helps United Kingdom companies to exploit the market opportunities for clean technology, pollution control equipment and services, and for other environmentally-friendly products. It gathers and maintains information on standards and world markets, assists United Kingdom companies to take advantage of the various support schemes available in this field and encourages United Kingdom companies to participate in environmental technology exhibitions at home and abroad.