§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has commissioned to determine the effect of bio-fuels on the global environment.
§ Mr. AtkinsBio-fuels can affect the global environment by influencing emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels, other gaseous emissions, and reservoirs of carbon in soils and vegetation. My Department has commissioned research on greenhouse gas emissions from waste disposal including waste as fuel, on landfill gas production, and on gaseous emissions from engines driven by landfill gas. We are also undertaking research relevant to quantifying the effect of bio-fuels on United Kingdom carbon reservoirs.