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Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the statutory powers relating to the control of the emission of smells by ofensive trade operators ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : [holding answer 22 December 1988] : These powers are contained in part III of the Public Health Act 1936 and are as follows :
(i) Sections 92 to 100 of the 1936 Act enable a local authority to take action for the abatement of smell nuisance caused by offensive trades.
(ii) Section 107 of that Act requires the consent of the local authority to be obtained to the establishment of an offensive trade. (iii) Section 108 of that Act enables a local authority to make byelaws with respect to offensive trades in their district. A consultation paper published in December 1986 proposed that the provisions mentioned at (ii) and (iii) above should be replaced by a new system under which the establishment of an offensive trade would require the prior consent of the local authority. The consent would include details of the best practicable means to be used for controlling odour nuisance. A further consultation paper published in December 1988 contained a suggested definition of the trades which would require such consent.
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he gives to local authorities about prosecution of managers of offensive trade operations.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 22 December 1988] : Departmental circular 43/76 issued on 7 May 1976 gives advice on how to deal with smell nuisance including local authorities' powers of prosecution of offenders under section 100 of the Public Health Act 1936.
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has issued any guidelines for members of the public to register complaints against existing operators of an offensive trade.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 22 December 1988] : No specific guidance has been issued. The Department's circular No. 43/76 on "Control of Smells From the Animal Waste Processing Industry" advises local authorities to consider the establishment of community liaison committees which will include representatives of residents in the area where there are particular premises which create odour problems.
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he intends to seek to amend the appropriate legislation relating to offensive trades which are creating smells ; and if he will make a statement ;
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(2) under what circumstances he proposes that the requirement of prior consent will apply to people who operate in the offensive trade industry ; and if he will make a statement.Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 22 December 1988] : In a consultation document issued in December 1986 entitled "Air Pollution Control in Great Britain--Review and Proposals," it was proposed that any person wishing to establish any trade deemed to be an offensive trade will require the prior consent of the local authority. A further consultation paper published in December 1988 contained a suggested change in the definition of trades which would require such consent. These are trade in which :
(a) any animal, bird, fish or vegetable matter is processed, stored, or dried through the application of heat, for trade or profit in a manner which is likely to give rise to the evolution of offensive substances or odours, subject to the exclusion of : (
(i) plants for the manufacture of pet foods ;
(ii) plants for the manufacture of food or drinks for human consumption ;
(iii) activities taking place on a farm not involving the manufacture of a product for sale ; or
(b) the breeding of maggots from putrescible matter is carried out.
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals he has received from owners of offensive trade plants where prior consents have been refused by the inspectorate or a local authority ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 22 December 1988] : None. Appeals where prior consent has been refused by a local authority are made to a magistrates court under section 107(4) of the Public Health Act 1936. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is not involved in issuing prior consents under the present system.
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what representations he has received from local authorities about offensive trades asking him to amend the relevant legislation ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what responses he has received to the consultation paper published in December 1986 on the review of air pollution controls in Great Britain, with particular reference to the offensive trades and emission of smells into the air ; and if he will make these responses available.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 22 December 1988] : The responses received on these matters, including representations made by local authorities, are summarised in "Air Pollution Control in Great Britain--Follow-up to Consultation Paper issued in December 1986" published by the Department on 15 December 1988. A copy of this document has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
City Grant
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is considering any alterations to the priority areas for city grant.
Mr. Trippier [holding answer 22 December 1988] : We have it in mind to look again at the list of priority areas for my Department's inner city programmes, including city grant, in the course of next year.
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Mink Farms
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what rates are payable on mink farms ; and what are the arrangements for these establishments after the introduction of the uniform business rate.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 22 December 1988] : Mink farms are currently liable for general rates and will be liable for the business rate from 1 April 1990.
Destroyed Chickens (Disposal)
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance has been given to local authorities concerning the disposal of destroyed chickens.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 22 December 1988] : HM inspectorate of pollution has not issued general guidance concerning the disposal of destroyed chickens.
Local waste disposal authorities are best placed to offer advice on the availability of waste disposal facilities for animal carcasses. HM inspectorate of pollution, as always, is prepared to assist if requested.
Irish Sea (Pollution)
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites have received consent to discharge any of the following substances into the Irish sea for the year 1987-88 : (i) phosphate, (ii) arsenic, (iii) lead, (iv) nickel, (v) chromium, (vi) zinc, (vii) manganese, (viii) cadmium, (ix) copper, (x) uranium, (xi) fluoride, (xii) mercury, (xiii) halogenated hydrocarbons, (xiv) pcb's, (xv) organo chlorines, (xvi) dioxins, and (xvii) organo phosphates.
Mr. Moynihan : The Department collects information on discharges of a limited number of these substances in connection with the reporting requirements of European Community directives. The number of sites known to be discharging these substances into the Irish sea and its tidal estuaries is as follows :
cadmium--12 sites
mercury--five sites
halogenated hydrocarbons : carbon tetrachloride--one site organochlorines : HCH, DDT, PCP--no sites.
Information on discharges of the other substances listed is not held centrally. The public registers maintained by water authorities in England and Wales, river purification boards in Scotland and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland contain details of all authorised discharges of sewage and trade effluent.
Sports Council
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received a copy of the policy document of the Sports Council entitled "Sport in the Community--The Next Ten Years".
Mr. Moynihan : A copy of "Sport in the Community--The Next Ten Years" was sent by the Sports Council to my predecessor when it was published in 1982.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he complied with his
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undertaking in line 13 of column 1294, Official Report, 16 December, to draw to the attention of the Sports Council the need not to involve itself in unpopular schemes that are damaging to the environment ; when he expects a reply from the Sports Council ; and if he will copy the correspondence to the hon. Member for Twickenham.Mr. Moynihan : I wrote to the members of the Sports Council on 5 January. The hon. Member received a copy of the letters.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the light of his statement in the Official Report , 16 December, column 1292, he has received notification from the Sports Council that a final decision has been taken on the Teddington floodlight scheme.
Mr. Moynihan : The Sports Council is not required to notify the Department of decisions to grant aid projects of this size, but I understand that the council gave approval to a grant of £100,000 towards the project on 9 January.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, following his undertaking to convey the contents to the chairman of the Sports Council, he will make it his policy to seek from the Sports Council a full reply to the speech of the hon. Member for Twickenham in the Adjournment debate on 16 December.
Mr. Moynihan : No. I replied to the Adjournment debate on 16 December.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when, following his undertaking in line 2, column 1294, Official Report 16 December, he personally sent a copy of the 16 December Adjournment debate to each member of the Sports Council.
Mr. Moynihan : My letters of 5 January to the members of the Sports Council enclosed a copy of the Hansard record of the Adjournment debate.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether Her Majesty's Government accept the policy of the Sports Council in its policy document, "Sports in the Community--The Next Ten Years", with specific reference to the interests and the needs of non-users.
Mr. Moynihan : "Sport in the Community--The Next Ten Years" was published by the Sports Council in 1982. The Sports Council, which was established by royal charter, is independent of the Government.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice has been given to the Sports Council with regard to the extent to which it should take into consideration the environmental impact of projects which it supports ; and if he will make a statement in the light of the Sports Council's own declared policy to take into account the interests of non-users.
Mr. Moynihan : It is for the Sports Council to decide whether or not to give grant aid to a project in the light of all the relevant information available.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what form the provision of funding for the Sports Council is laid before Parliament ; at what intervals ; and when this is next due to take place.
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Mr. Moynihan : Parliament is informed of the funding requirements for the Sports Council through the Autumn Statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, through the public expenditure White Paper and through the normal Supply procedure.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in the Official Report the length of time for which the chairman, the vice-chairman and the members of the Sports Council are appointed ; and if he will give the dates to which the current appointments are to run in each case.
Mr. Moynihan : The chairman of the Sports Council is appointed for a term not exceeding five years. The vice-chairman and the other members are appointed for terms not exceeding three years. In all cases they are eligible for re-appointment. The terms of office of the current members of the council expire on the following dates :
|Date
-------------------------------------------------------------------
John Smith (chairman) |19 May 1989
Sebastian Coe (vice-chairman) |9 July 1989
J. Allan Patmore (vice-chairman) |31 August 1990
Raymond Miquel |15 November 1991
John Powell |31 March 1990
Ron Emes |9 March 1990
Richard Fox |27 October 1991
Margaret Hohman |27 October 1991
Norman Jacobs |27 October 1991
Tim Marshall |27 October 1991
Charles Palmer |27 November 1989
Mary Peters |27 October 1991
David Simon |27 October 1991
Peter Yarranton |27 October 1991
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many communications he received from the Sports Council board members or officials concerning the Teddington floodlight scheme ; and if he will list them by date.
Mr. Moynihan : The Department has received one letter from the Sports Council concerning the Teddington floodlight scheme dated 2 December 1988.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will extend his undertaking personally to convey to every member of the Sports Council the views put by the hon. Member for Twickenham in the Adjournment debate on 16 December to every member of the London Regional Sports Council.
Mr. Moynihan : The chairman of the London Council for Sport and Recreation is a member of the Sports Council. I made him aware of the hon. Member's concerns in my letter of 5 January. It is for him to convey this to other members of the London Council for Sport and Recreation.
ading Football Clubs (Membership Scheme) Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will exclude from the ambit of proposed legislation involving identity cards for football supporters clubs at which there were no arrests during the 1987-88 season.
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Mr. Moynihan : No. To exempt any League club from the national membership scheme could make that club a target for hooligans banned from those to which the scheme applied.
Thames Water Authority
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total consumption of water for each year since 1979 for domestic and commercial consumers in the Thames Water Authority area.
Mr. Moynihan : Information in the form requested is not available. However, since 1979-80 the amount of water supplied to all consumers in the Thames Water Authority area has been as follows :
Year |Water Supplied
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |3,563.43
1980-81 |3,570.13
1981-82 |3,580.61
1982-83 |3,626.09
1983-84 |3,782.22
1984-85 |3,811.72
1985-86 |3,818.39
1986-87 |3,932.69
1987-88 |3,960.56
These figures represent the daily average for each year and include water supplied by the statutory water companies operating within the Thames Water Authority area.
Sewage Sludge
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department is taking to limit the disposal of sewage sludge at sea and to develop technologically and environmentally acceptable alternatives.
Mr. Moynihan : Control of the disposal of sewage sludge to sea is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. However, my Department is discussing urgently with the water authorities the steps to be taken to achieve significant reductions in the concentrations of "red list" substances in sludge. In addition, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has in preparation a manual of guidance to sludge disposers on how to assess the environmental and economic consequences of the various options available for sludge disposal so that the method having least overall environmental effect in each case can be properly selected.
Water Supply
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the bodies from whom water authorities accept requests for additional chemicals to be added to the public water supply.
Mr. Moynihan : Water undertakers consider requests for additional chemicals to be added to the public water supply from district health authorities under the terms of the Water (Fluoridation) Act 1985.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what respects the form of request and
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acceptance of liability from and by health authorities in respect of adding chemicals to the public water supply varies between water authorities and the statutory water companies.Mr. Moynihan : When making such requests and accepting liability, health authorities make no distinction between water authorities and statutory water companies.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the statutory water companies which add chemicals to the public water supply at the request of health authorities.
Mr. Moynihan : The Newcastle and Gateshead Water Company, South Staffordshire Water Company, East Worcestershire Water Company and Colne Valley Water Company add either hexafluorosilicic acid or disodium hexafluorosilicate to the public water supply at the request of district health authorities.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a water authority can refuse a request from a health authority for additional chemicals to be added to the public water supply.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has received regarding the addition of chemicals to the public water supply at the request of health authorities following privatisation of the water authorities.
Mr. Moynihan : The legal position concerning the addition of fluoride to water supplies is set out in the Water (Fluoridation) Act 1985 and will be unaffected by privatisation.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the range of additional chemicals added to the public water supply at the request of (a) health authorities and (b) other bodies not being water authorities.
Mr. Moynihan : Hexafluorsilicic acid and disodium
hexafluorosilicate may be added to the public water supply but only at the request of district health authorities.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many water authorities have requested additional financial safeguards in order to cover all liabilities from the effects of chemicals added to the public water supply at the request of health authorities.
Mr. Moynihan : The Water Authorities Association has made a request to the Department of Health for additional financial safeguards on behalf of its members.
Toxic Waste Sites
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to obtain, maintain and publish up-to-date (a) lists and (b) maps, of toxic waste sites in England, Scotland and Wales.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We see no purpose in doing so as WDAs are required (Section 6(4) of COPA Control of Pollution Act 1974) to maintain a register of all disposal licences in force, which is open to inspection by the public.
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AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Water Pollution
Mr. Hanley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what restrictions there are upon farmers adding to their land chemical or other additives that might pollute water supplies.
Mr. Ryder : Farmers are subject, as are all users of pesticide, to the general obligation imposed by condition 2 of the consent controlling the use of pesticides made under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 that they shall
"take all reasonable precautions to protect the health of human beings, creatures and plants, to safeguard the environment, and in particular to avoid pollution of water".
Such reasonable precautions would include taking care to dispose of surplus spray and tank washings in a suitable way. Detailed statutory controls include using only pesticides which have been approved under the Regulations, and compliance with any conditions attached to use of the products, given on the product labels. The statutory conditions include maximum dose rates, the maximum number of treatments, and protection of the environment.
Animal Protein
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to prohibit the incorporation of animal residues in poultry feeding compounds.
Mr. Donald Thompson : I have no plans to do so.
The Protein Processing Order 1981 requires all animal protein including animal residues, for incorporation into poultry feedingstuffs to be manufactured free from salmonella contamination. My officials routinely inspect all plants producing such protein to ensure that this requirement is met. In addition discussions are underway on a code of practice aimed at reducing the risk of the contamination of final feedingstuffs by salmonella.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is his estimate of the increase in costs of producing a bacon pig if the use of animal protein in pig feed compounds were banned ;
(2) what is his estimate of the increase in costs of producing one dozen eggs if the use of animal protein in poultry feed were banned in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Donald Thompson : At present prices of animal and vegetable protein, it appears that the effect on production costs of substituting vegetable protein for the use of animal protein (other than fish meal) in feed would be small. However, the effect of a ban on the use of animal protein (other than fish meal) on the price of vegetable protein is difficult to determine and a firm estimate of increased costs both in feed and environmental terms and who would bear these costs cannot be estimated.
PCBs
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of 20 December, what level of concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls in cod and whiting caught in Swansea bay is regarded as (a) low, (b) moderate and (c) high ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Donald Thompson : Guidelines for concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish and shellfish have been set for the joint monitoring programme of the Oslo and Paris commissions. Details of the "lower", "medium" and "upper" levels are given in my Department's aquatic environment monitoring reportNo. 16, page 38, available in the Library of the House.
The guidelines refer to the ranges of contaminant concentrations which would be expected to occur in European waters ; they do not necessarily imply any risk to human health or to the environment. The most recent tests for levels of PCBs in cod from Swansea bay were on cod liver, and give results, so far unpublished, of 1.9mg/kg wet weight. The guideline "lower" level for cod liver is up to 2.0mg/kg wet weight.
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