To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has any plans to ban the use of chlorofluorocarbons as propellants in Christmas novelty sprays; and if he will make a statement;(2) what information he has on the use of chlorofluorocarbons in novelty Christmas sprays; and if he will advise consumers not to purchase such products.

The Government are actively seeking international agreement to the phase out of all CFCs by the year 2000. I understand that the aerosol industry intends 90 per cent. of all its products to be CFC free by the end of the year. In the case of these Christmas novelties, I also understand that the alternative propellants available this Christmas are flammable. Because of the way these products are often used, safety factors prohibit the use of flammable material. It is proposed that one of the new generation propellants will be used in these products next year. British consumers have already shown that they can decide for themselves whether they wish to buy products which damage the ozone layer.