§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce a leakage prevention programme for all refrigeration and air conditioning equipment owned and operated by his Department.; if he will publish targets for reductions in leakages; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AitkenMy Department's policy is to prevent leakage of ozone-depleting refrigerants to the atmosphere wherever possible. Special equipment is used during maintenance and repair to avoid venting to the atmosphere. Also, although no targets are published regular monitoring of refrigerants enables leakages to be detected and action taken.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will implement a refrigerant recycling and240W reclaim policy covering all departmental equipment currently using chloroflurocarbons and hydrochloro-fluorocarbons; if he will publish targets for departmental reuse and recycling; if he will implement an equipment conversion and replacement programme for all departmental uses of CFCs and HCFCs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AitkenMy Department is fully committed to the Government's policy for reducing the use of all substances controlled under the Montreal protocol. We already have a programme for refrigerant recycling and reclaim. We have no plans to publish targets but this will be carried out in accordance with the terms of the protocol. All equipment using CFCs and HCFCs is being identified and will either be replaced or converted to suitable alternatives. As an interim measure some will be supported by a bank of recycled substances.