§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps will be taken by the air quality monitoring network in Northern Ireland to reduce levels of air pollution.
§ Mr. NeedhamThe monitoring network is an independent, United Kingdom-wide system operated on behalf of the Department of the Environment. Its work is supplemented locally by the monitoring carried out by a number of district councils.
The data available from all the monitoring systems operating in Northern Ireland provide a basis from which air quality guidelines and targets can be set. and assessments can be made of the efficacy of measures to cut urban pollution. Such measures include the continued introduction of smoke control areas; proposed regulations to control the composition and sale of certain fuels in smoke control areas; catalytic converters in all new petrol-engined cars from 1 January 1993; new MOT emission tests; and tough new standards for diesel vehicles.
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§ Dr. MawhinneyThe information requested insofar as it can be readily provided is set out in the following tables.
Applications received and processed 1988 1989 1990 1991 Civil Service 10,153 20,991 24,960 8,231 Housing Executive1 — — 7,000 4,500 Health and Social Services Boards1 — Eastern — — 28,456 — Northern — — 11,131 — Southern — — 7,825 — Western — — 10,774 — Education and Library Boards1:— Belfast — — 8,776 6,906 North-Eastern — — 6,450 5,302 South-Eastern —: — 6,685 5,633 Southern — — 6,368 8,087 Western — — 5,241 6,716 Notes:
1. Information about applications in the calendar year prior to 1990 is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
2. All applications received are processed.