§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he accepts the claims made by the Association for the Conservation of Energy about United Kingdom emissions of carbon dioxide; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyEstimates of United Kingdom emissions of carbon dioxide since 1977 were published in the "Digest of Environmental Protection Statistics", No. 11, in February this year. They do not support the figures quoted by the Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE). United Kingdom emissions were only 1 per cent. higher in 1987 compared with 1986. This is still 10 per cent. lower than in 1979. An initial estimate of the emissions for 1973 shows that they were about 14 per cent. higher than at present, not 20 per cent. lower as claimed.