Sulphur Dioxide

HC Deb 23 May 1990 vol 173 c254W

97. Mr. Hayward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the trend in the urban concentration of sulphur dioxide since 1979.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

Following is the information:

Sulphur dioxide: Trends in average urban concentrations in the United Kingdom
	Sulphur dioxide (micro-grammes per cubic metre)	Concentration index
1979–80	57	100
1980–81	48	84
1981–82	50	88
1982–83	41	72
1983–84	40	70
1984–85	38	67
1985–86	37	65
1986–87	36	63
1987–88	35	61
1988–89	33	58

Source: Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics. No. 12.

Average urban concentrations of sulphur dioxide fell by 42 per cent. between 1979–80 and 1988–89.