§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the analysis in, and conclusions of, the latest annual EC-United Nations report on the state of Europe's forests(a) in so far as it relates to United Kingdom forests and (b) in regard to pollution arising from the United Kingdom affecting forests abroad.
§ Sir Hector Monro[holding answer 3 November 1993]: I have been asked to reply.
The Forestry Commission assessed the condition of nearly 9,000 trees of five tree species—oak, beech, Scots pine, Norway spruce and Sitka spruce—in 1992, as a contribution to the 1993 report on forest condition in Europe produced jointly by the Commission of the European Communities and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (EC/UN-ECE).
In Britain, Scots pine and oak showed a decline in crown density compared with that in the previous year, the crown condition of Norway spruce was little changed, while that of Sitka spruce and beech had improved. In contrast, the EC/UN-ECE report concluded that, in Europe as a whole, all five species showed a decline in crown density.
The EC/UN-ECE report made no comment on the effect of air pollution from the United Kingdom on forests in Europe. However, there has been a significant reduction in emissions in the United Kingdom since the European Community's large combustion plants directive was implemented and, in comparison with 1980, we are committed to reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide by 60 per cent. over the next 10 years and of oxides of nitrogen by 30 per cent. over the next five years.