§ Mr. Liam FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to support his Department's critical applications of substances controlled under the Montreal protocol; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Montreal protocol and EC Regulations 3592/92 will shortly require the cessation of production and supply of ozone depleting substances. The Ministry of Defence as a major user of the substances has recognised the significant role it has to play in contributing to the United Kingdom's overall programme of compliance.
My Department has a small number of critical applications where continued use of the controlled substances is considered essential when assessed against internationally agreed criteria.
We have decided, in accordance with good environmental practice, to support these essential uses by a conservation policy involving the banking and recycling of the substances. This will ensure that personnel and assets are protected during the transitional period between the end of production and the arrival on the market of replacements or alternatives.
It is our intention to establish a bank of Montreal protocol substances at RAF Cardington, Bedfordshire, subject to local planning consent. RAF Cardington is a natural site for the bank and it is the tri-service centre for compressed gases.