§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the reduction in toxic emissions and other pollutants listed in the pilot environmental accounts published in August is attributable to(a) a reduction in economic activity and (b) implementation of clean technologies. [40340]
§ Mr. ClappisonThere are a number of sources of information on the sources of, and on past and predicted trends in, emissions of the pollutants listed in the pilot environmental accounts. These include the "Chemical Release Inventory", published by HMIP—now the Environment Agency—the "National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory"—AEA Technology—the Department of the Environment's "Digest of Environmental Statistics" and the draft "National Air Quality Strategy". It is not, however, possible to disaggregate this information in such a way as to be able to attribute the reduction in pollutants to different causes, such as economic activity, the application of cleaner technologies, changing business practices or other factors.