§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will institute a departmental study as to the causes of recent weather changes and, in particular, if they are related to damage to the ozone layer; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TrippierIt is not possible to say whether the particular weather conditions the United Kingdom has recently experienced are due to permanent changes in the world's climate. Current research into climatic change in the United Kingdom and elsewhere will be drawn together in the report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change later this year. This will provide an improved understanding of the science of climate change. We have announced the establishment of a new centre for the prediction of climate change at a cost of £5.5 million, which will continue research to improve our understanding of the climate.