Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the contribution made by his Department to the European Communities' network of environmental technology transfer programme.
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 2 April 1990]: The network of environmental technology transfer (NETT) was established in 1988 and aims to facilitate the exchange of information on a range of techniques, equipment and markets in the areas of clean and low waste technology. NETT is jointly funded by the European Commission and by its membership and services, with the Commission support reducing over the next few years as membership is expected to build up. The president of NETT is Mr. A. J. Fairclough, formerly of the Department of the Environment and the European Commission.
My Department's environmental agency, Warren Spring Laboratory, is a founder member of NETT and its Dr. Schofield is a member of the international board of management. My Department is therefore playing an active role in the further development of NETT.
At present, there are 170 European members, including 27 United Kingdom organisations. Membership is expected to grow as more services come on line. The NETT secretariat has dealt with 30 inquiries from United Kingdom organisations.