HC Deb 12 July 1999 vol 335 c9W
Mrs. Brinton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the level of(a) carbon dioxide, (b) sulphur dioxide, (c) nitrogen oxide and (d) fine particulate

1997 emission estimates
Carbon dioxide as carbon Nitrogen oxides Sulphur dioxide Fine paniculate matter (PM10)
Power station coal combustion (in kilotonnes) 26, 667 300 956 22
Percentage of total power station emissions 67 81 93 98
Percentage of total UK 18 16 58 12

Proposals for reducing emissions from English and Welsh power stations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter were contained in a consultative paper published by the Environment Agency in March 1999. The information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland. The European Commission has recently adopted a Proposal for a National Emission Ceilings Directive, which potentially implies further reductions in sulphur dioxide emissions beyond those already envisaged. The Government are considering their response to the Proposal.

Following the consultation on climate change, which ran from October 1998 to February 1999, we are now developing a draft UK climate change programme which we are aiming to publish later this year for further consultation. The draft programme will cover all sectors of the economy, including power generators.