§ Mr. McCrindleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any proposals for the introduction of a carbon tax on carbon dioxide emissions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTaxation in the United Kingdom is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I am aware, however, of a number of informal proposals for a carbon tax as a possible policy instrument for mitigating climate change. These are likely to be the subject of continuing discussions, particularly in the intergovernmental panel on climate change.