§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what specific research projects and studies regarding(a) environmental pollution, (b) climate changes and their effect on (i) the health of the people and (ii) wildlife in Scotland his Department is funding or sponsoring.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 13 December 1989]The main sources of funds for research in the broad areas of environmental pollution and climate change are United Kingdom Departments and research councils. Scottish Departments, however, have funded a range of projects in the areas in which the hon. Gentleman has expressed an interest and these reflect their own policy and programme responsibilities.
Research funded by the Scottish Development Department deals with issues particular to Scotland and is designed to be complementary to that sponsored through United Kingdom Departments. Annex A shows projects related to environmental pollution currently being funded by SDD.
The broad objectives of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland are to ensure that the work undertaken makes a significant contribution to and, where appropriate, leads the agricultural R and D effort in the United Kingdom, while including work of special relevance to the soils, crops and livestock of northern Britain. Some of this research is concerned with aspects of environmental pollution—for example, how soil processes affect nutrient availability particularly as regards element cycling and flows; the effect of pollutants from the atmosphere entering the soil-plant-animal system; and how soil water is affected by fertilisers and pesticides. Annex B lists currently funded agricultural and related research concerned with environmental pollution.
Research on fisheries and the aquatic environment is undertaken by DAFS as part of a Great Britain programme co-ordinated with the main stocks of fish and shellfish in Scottish waters, and also investigates the impact of natural and manmade changes on those stocks and on the environment which supports them.
The marine research programme involves study of the hydrography, chemistry and biological productivity of the sea, and includes examination of the effects of pollution from disposal in the sea of materials such as oil compounds, dredge spoils, industrial waste, materials from marine fish farms, and sewage. DAFS also commissions work on seals and fish-eating birds.
On the freshwater side, where the DAFS interest is primarily in salmonid fish, research is commissioned into the impact of environmental stresses generated by surface 74W water acidification, coniferous afforestation, fish farming, and land use change upon both freshwater fisheries and the freshwater environment.
The Scottish Home and Health Department, through its chief scientific office, aims to identify, encourage, promote and support good quality research relevant to the improvement of health and the National Health Service in Scotland. One project related to environmental pollution is currently funded by SHHD—"A study of neuropsychological function in children exposed to low levels of lead in the environment".
At present, Scottish Departments are not funding work directly related to climate changes and their effect on (i) the health of the people and (ii) wildlife in Scotland where given the global nature of such changes lead responsibility rests with other United Kingdom Departments.
Annex A
The Scottish Development Department is currently funding the following research projects in the environmental pollution arena.
- Trace Element Toxicity in the River Don
- Acidification of Inland Waters
- Environmental Effects of Fish Farming
- Monitoring of Phosphorus, Chlorophyll and Water Clarity on Loch Leven
- Effect of Afforestation on Catchment Yields
- Radionuclide Transfer in Heather-Dominant Ecosystems
Annex B
DAFS—Relevant Agricultural Research
Predictive models of losses of nitrogen from the soil-plant system.
The retention or movement of heavy metals in polluted soils and their availability to herbage.
Effect of organic matter content of soil on the cycling of radio-caesium and its availability to various upland plant species.
Factors affecting the uptake of radio-caesium by sheep.
Lead deposition from the atmosphere on Scottish soils.
Polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in hill and upland environments.
Proton budgets for hill and upland soils under sown grass pasture and grazed indigenous vegetation.
The extent of acidification and pollution of Scottish soils in hill, upland and marginal areas in recent decades.
The role of individual soil properties on the relationship between soil acidity and aluminium.
The ameliorating effects of selective liming on acidified catchments.
Movement of nitrates and pesticides in soil and water and gaseous soil emissions.
The effects of afforestation of blanket peat on water quality.
The hydrological and hydrochemical consequences of various forestry practices.
The effects of hill farm management systems on soil hydrology and hydrochemistry.
Reduction of the potential for silage effluent pollution.
The chemical and biological properties of animal wastes.
Environmentally acceptable animal waste management systems.
Systems to minimise the pollution of the environment by agricultural inputs and wastes.
The detoxification and use of organic wastes.
The evaluation of algal culture on settled effluent from aerobic treatment of pig slurry.
Biomass composition and nutrient cycling in algal ponds.
The physiological regulation of microalgal growth in multi-pass fermenter systems.
The potential for integration of farm waste treatment and aquaculture.
The improvement of energetic efficiency of aerobic treatment of farm waste.
The potential of nematodes and selected micro-organisms as indicators of pollution.
75WInputs and outputs at a series of long-term environmental monitoring sites.
Elimination or reduction of silage effluent.