§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of his Department's audit entitled, "Local Authority Progress on Implementing the Local Air Pollution Control Regimes"; and what action he proposes to take based on the report's findings; [52530]
(2) what assessment he has made of his Department's audit entitled, "Remedying the failures of local air pollution"; and if he will make a statement. [52531]
§ Angela EagleMy Department commissioned an independent audit of the Local Air Pollution Control regime earlier this year and a preliminary assessment has been made of the auditors' report: "Local Authority Progress on Implementing the Local Air Pollution Control Regime". The auditors were asked to take into account a report by the Environmental Industries Commission "Remedying the Failures of Local Air Pollution Control".
Our preliminary assessment was that the report showed that considerable progress had been made in reducing air pollution from the wide range of regulated sources, but that there were areas where improvements were needed. The report's 30 recommendations were addressed variously to the Government, local authorities and local authority organisations, and relevant professional bodies.
A detailed joint response and action plan covering all the recommendations is now being prepared.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy that the issues of Antarctic Ocean pollution and sanctions against heavy polluters of the atmosphere are put on the Buenos Aires Summit agenda; and if he will make a statement. [52489]
§ Angela EagleThe Buenos Aires Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Climate Change will develop the rules and procedures for implementation of the Protocol to reduce greenhouse gases which was adopted at Kyoto. As such it will not cover pollution of the oceans or deal with other forms of atmospheric pollution.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he plans to take to ensure that local authorities publish the reasons for the non-enforcement of pollution control standards at particular industrial sites. [52532]
§ Angela EagleThis is an issue we will be considering carefully when implementing EU Directive 96/61/EC concerning integrated pollution prevention and control.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how the Government intend to achieve a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. [52491]
14W
§ Angela EagleWe aim to issue a consultation paper this summer on policy options to deliver our legally binding commitment from Kyoto to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. over the period 2008 to 2012, and move towards our domestic aim of a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010. We will be building on the outcome of other reviews and looking at the scope for savings from improved energy efficiency by business and in the home; lower transport emissions; and an increase in the electricity generated from renewables and combined heat and power.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the role of Nuclear Energy in the proposed reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. [52488]
§ Angela EagleNuclear power currently contributes significantly to United Kingdom electricity supply needs and also plays an important part in helping the UK to meet its commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Provided the nuclear industry can maintain high standards of safety and environmental protection, the Government believe that existing nuclear power stations should continue to make this important contribution.
Figures published in the UK's second national communication on climate change, showed that nuclear power generation was projected to lead to savings in carbon emissions of about 3 million tonnes per year by 2000. The Department of Trade and Industry is working on a new set of energy and carbon dioxide emission projections which the Government hope to publish later this year.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the implications of Her Majesty's Government's policy on the future of the coal mining industry for future emissions of carbon dioxide; and if he will make a statement. [52486]
§ Angela EagleThe preliminary conclusions of the Government's Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation reaffirm the Government's determination to meet their climate change targets and state that the proposals are consistent with a decline in carbon emissions from the electricity generating industry.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to ensure at the forthcoming Buenos Aires summit the implementation of the measures agreed on carbon dioxide production at the Kyoto Summit in 1997; and if he will make a statement. [52490]
§ Angela EagleThe Kyoto Protocol established legally-binding targets for developed countries requiring an overall reduction in their emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to 5.2 per cent. below 1990 levels in the period 2008 to 2012: but it left a number of matters to be further developed. It is indeed my right hon. Friend's policy to ensure that the Beunos Aires Conference in November makes substantive progress on these matters, with a view to maintaining the momentum of Kyoto and achieving early entry into force and implementation of the Protocol.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of local authorities do not have an inspection policy or do 15W not routinely inspect polluting factories in connection with air pollution control laws; and what measures he proposes to improve enforcement of air pollution control laws by local authorities. [52535]
§ Angela EagleMy Department issued guidance to local authorities in 1995 on types and frequency of inspection under the Local Air Pollution Control regime. Information is not obtained centrally on whether local authorities have an inspection policy, but data held by my Department show that 9,400 routine/programmed inspections were carried out by local authorities in 1996–97 in relation to this regime. The recent Local Air Pollution Control audit raised concerns about local authority inspection and action to address this and to improve enforcement of the Local Air Pollution Control system is being drawn up in response to the auditor's report.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to publish local authorities' enforcement policies with regard to the air pollution control laws. [52533]
§ Angela EagleGuidance issued in 1994 by the former Association of District Councils recommended that local authorities produce and publish an enforcement policy on air pollution control. My Department is in discussion with the Local Government Association concerning the re-issue of that guidance.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of local authority authorisations in respect of air pollution control laws have not been reviewed to take account of new pollution concerns or technologies. [52534]
§ Angela EagleThe finding of the recent audit of the Local Air Pollution Control regime was that, from the sample of processes examined, upgrading had been completed in 90 per cent. of the authorisations by the relevant deadline contained in statutory guidance.