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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what joint assessment and monitoring is being undertaken by UK- based scientific institutions on behalf of OSPAR; and if she will publish a list of current research projects in collaboration with OSPAR. [141672] Mr. Morley: OPSAR agreed a revised Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme at the Commission meeting in Bremen in June. A copy is in the Library of the House, and is available on the OSPAR website www.ospar.org. A large number of scientific institutions provide data which is used to fulfil the reporting requirements in respect of UK waters. These include the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquatic Science, the Environment Agency, English Nature, and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and the equivalent bodies in the devolved Administrations. The Department has an extensive research programme on marine environmental issues, and most projects will in one way or another inform the UK's input into the work of OSPAR. In some cases, such as the development of a number of Ecological Quality objectives, this work is being done by the UK on behalf of OSPAR as lead country; in other cases, the research will inform the UK's input to debate within OSPAR. A list of the 74 projects currently in the programme can be found on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/ research/project data/Default.asp.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

415 c383W; 141672

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Environment protection Radioactive waste Monitoring Research Seas and oceans OSPAR Convention

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk