To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of proposals put forward in the EU Council to reduce the UK's greenhouse gas emissions emanating from hydrofluorocarbons.

We are carefully considering the European Commission's (EC) proposal to assess the potential benefits and impacts, taking into account the extensive impact assessment that accompanies it. The EC has acknowledged that further analysis of the impacts is needed for some elements of the proposal, which it is now undertaking.

We are also carrying out our own analyses of the potential impacts for the UK. In broad terms our early analyses indicate that some technical adjustments will be needed to the EC's proposal to enable it to be fully implemented. However, there is some way still to go in discussion of the EC's proposal before a final agreement can be reached. Our ongoing assessment work will continue to inform that process.