HC Deb 15 July 1992 vol 211 cc733-4W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to ratify the protocol to the 1979 convention on long-range transboundary air pollution concerning the control of emissions of volatile organic compounds or their transboundary fluxes.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The United Kingdom is working to ratify this protocol as soon as possible. This is likely to be at the same time as, or soon after, ratification by the European Community.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the protocols to the 1979 convention on long-range transboundary air pollution that have been agreed to by Her Majesty's Government, indicating which have been ratified by the United Kingdom.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The United Kingdom has signed and ratified the following protocols to the 1979 convention.

  • The protocol on Long-Term Financing of the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-Range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP);
  • The protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes.

In November 1991 the United Kingdom signed the protocol concerning the control of emissions of volatile organic compounds or their transboundary fluxes. Preparations to ratify this agreement are in hand.