§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the targets are for her Department's ambient noise strategy. [46991]
§ Mr. MeacherThe proposal to develop a national ambient noise strategy was announced in the Rural White Paper in November 2000. The consultation on the development of such a strategy—"Towards a National Ambient Noise Strategy"—closed on the 15 March this year and the results of the consultation are currently being considered and may result in changes to our approach. However, currently it would only be at a later stage that the introduction of targets (if any) would be considered.