§ Mr. StunellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his324W assessment of the voluntary agreement reached between industry and his Department in 1996 on the reduction of hydrofluorocarbon emissions; what estimate he has made of its contribution to reducing UK greenhouse gas emissions up to 2010; and if he will make a statement. [30531]
§ Mr. MeacherThe voluntary agreements on the use and emissions of hydrofluorocarbons concluded in 1996 between the Government and the five principal user-sectors were drawn up to help meet our original commitment under the Framework Convention on Climate Change to return emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by the year 2000. The agreements have been welcomed by industry and reviews of the first year of the impact have been completed. Although it is yet too early to assess the quantitative impact of the voluntary agreements, overall GWP-weighted emissions of hydrofluorocarbons from the UK are expected to fall by around 65 per cent. between 1990 and 2000. HFCs have now been included in the basket of gases for which legally binding targets for the period 2008 to 2012 were agreed in Kyoto. The Government will be consulting on means to achieve their target later this year.