§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made by his Department in funding research work to define the tolerance of ecosystems to acid deposition and the development of new standards and controls to ensure that those thresholds are not exceeded.
§ Mr. MacleanThe tolerances of ecosystems in soils and freshwaters to acid deposition, or their critical loads, have been quantified and mapped for Scotland, Wales and much of England. Maps have also been prepared comparing present and predicted deposition loads with the critical loads. These show that substantial progress will have been made by 2005 in reducing areas subject to damage. Copies of all these maps are in the Library of the House.
All this work has been funded through the Department's air quality research programme, which has also supported projects on abatement strategies and techniques.