Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Tuesday, 3 November 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 12 November 1998. It was answered by Alan Meale (Labour) on Thursday, 12 November 1998 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to introduce measures to encourage the development of environmentally-safe technologies.

Answer: Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce measures to encourage the development of environmentally safe technologies. [58602] Mr. Meale: My Department encourages business to manage its environmental performance responsibly, using a systematic approach and reporting publicly on performance. The Research Councils support research into new technologies. The Energy Efficiency and Environmental Technology Best Practice Programmes also support collaborative R&D projects and demonstrate the benefits of applying new technologies, and they promote existing good practice technologies and techniques. Environmental regulations, including implementation of the EC Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive, will continue to require industry to use best available techniques, taking account of the costs and benefits. The DETR/DTI Joint Environmental Markets Unit sponsors the environmental technology industry and supports export initiatives. The effectiveness of these programmes and measures is monitored and kept under review.

Secondary information