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ENVIRONMENT
Council House Sales
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total number of houses or flats sold by each of the London borough authorities since 1980. [33706]
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Mr. Clappison: Information on sales of council houses and flats reported by each English local authority for financial years from 1979-80 and a cumulative total of sales to the end of December 1995 is available in the Library.
Clinical Waste
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) which countries export clinical and medical waste to England and Wales for high temperature incineration; and if he will make a statement. [34036]
- (2) what recent discussions have taken place with the Irish Department of Health concerning the export of medical and clinical waste to England and Wales; and if he will make a statement; [34038]
(3) what plans he has to modify the regulations governing the importation of medical and clinical waste; and if he will make a statement; [34039]
(4) if he will list the names and locations of those companies in England and Wales which are licensed to import medical and clinical waste for high temperature incineration; and if he will make a statement. [34037]
Mr. Clappison: The Government's policies on exports and imports of waste from and to the United Kingdom are contained in the United Kingdom management plan for exports and imports of waste which was published on 16 May 1996. The plan has legal effect, and came into force on 1 June 1996.
The Government's policy proposals for waste exports and imports were initially outlined in a statement by the then Minister for the Environment and Countryside, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (Mr. Atkins) on 15 June 1994. The Department consulted on its proposals, in the form of a draft plan, during February and March 1995; the European Commission and other EC member states, including the Republic of Ireland, were also consulted at this time.
Under the plan, imports of waste for disposal are generally banned, in line with the principle of self-sufficiency in the disposal of waste. However, exceptions to this policy occur in cases of emergency, or where the exporting country does not have, and cannot reasonably acquire, suitable disposal facilities of its own.
Representations were received from the Irish Government, to the effect that they produce certain hazardous wastes in sufficiently small quantities overall per year that the provision of new specialised disposal facilities in Ireland would be uneconomic. As a result of these representations, the Government decided to exclude the Republic of Ireland from the phase-out of imports of waste from other EC member states for high temperature incineration at facilities capable of operating at temperatures in excess of 1100 deg C. Thus, Irish waste destined for high temperature incineration, including some categories of clinical waste, will continue to be allowed access to UK facilities. Imports from the Irish Republic of clinical or other waste destined for low temperature incineration, however, are not permitted under the plan.
In 1994-95, the latest year for which figures are available, the following European countries exported hazardous wastes to the United Kingdom for high
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temperature incineration: Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Wastes were also imported for high temperature incineration from Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Mozambique, Norway, Thailand, Turkey and Venezuela. Data are not available on the origin of these wastes by economic sector-clinical, medical, industrial, and so on.
There are four sites in England and Wales which are licensed as high temperature incinerators as defined in the plan; these are listed:
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made in persuading the lighting industry to take greater responsibility for the safe disposal of mercury. [33866]
Mr. Clappison:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on Monday 22 April 1996, Official Report, column 1. I have no further information to add.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the proposals and sites currently under consideration for the dispersal of contaminated waste. [33842]
Mr. Clappison:
Applications for waste management licences are made to the Environment Agency. The agency is required to maintain a public register of licence applications made to it and of licences which it has granted. Whether a particular site would take contaminated waste would depend on the terms of the licence granted by the agency.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the number of jobs likely to be created by higher environmental standards announced in the last year; and if he will make a statement. [33907]
Mr. Clappison:
The effect of higher environmental standards on competitiveness and jobs is complex and depends on a number of factors, including the design and implementation of each particular standard. Chapter 7 of the third competitiveness White Paper, which was recently published by the Government, outlines some of the issues.
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Mr. Barry Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the spread of parapox and its effect on the red squirrel population. [33853]
Mr. Clappison:
No research into the parapox virus has been commissioned by my Department.
I am aware of work being undertaken by the Institute of Zoology in identifying the virus in red squirrels and understand that the institute is working in association with wildlife trusts under the north-west red alert scheme, which enables a number of trusts in the north-west of England to collect red squirrel carcases. We will continue to follow this work with interest and await its outcome, together with any recommendations that are forthcoming.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he took of the unit costs for (a) cavity wall insulation and (b) heating system upgrade as set out in the home energy efficiency scheme proposals for change when setting the current HEES budget; and if he will make a statement. [34242]
Mr. Clappison:
The two measures mentioned by the hon. Member are not presently provided under the home energy efficiency scheme. Their costs were not, therefore, relevant factors in determining the current level of funding. The Government are consulting on possible alterations to HEES, and will consider whether any changes are desirable in the light of that consultation.
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the responsibility of (a) the local authorities and (b) the Valuation Office in ensuring that the correct rateable reference is used to calculate the liability of individual businesses for business rates. [34482]
Sir Paul Beresford:
Valuation officers, who are employed by the Valuation Office agency, are responsible for compiling and then maintaining an accurate non-domestic rating list for each billing authority in the country. Local authorities are required to inform the valuation officer for their area of any information which suggests that a list requires alteration.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he plans to monitor the performance of approved inspectors appointed under the provisions of the Building Act 1984. [34366]
Mr. Clappison:
As with local authority building control, the Department conducts no formal monitoring of the performance of approved inspectors.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he plans to allow new approved inspectors appointed under the provisions of the Building Act 1984 to compete in the new house building sector. [34368]
Mr. Clappison:
The existing approved inspector--NHBC Building Control Services Ltd.--has in place, as a statutory requirement, a scheme of insurance which has
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been approved by the Secretary of State for building control work in relation to dwellings. An applicant for approved inspector status who has a similar scheme of insurance approved by the Secretary of State will, subject to demonstrating technical competence and being awarded approved inspector status, be allowed to operate as an approved inspector in the new house building sector.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to appoint further corporate approved inspectors under the provisions of the Building Act 1984. [34365]
Mr. Clappison:
The appointment of further corporate approved inspectors is expected by late summer.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what period of authorisation he intends to adopt for the appointment of new approved inspectors under the provisions of the Building Act 1984 prior to a review of their appointment. [34367]
Mr. Clappison:
Under the provisions of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 1985, an approval by the Secretary of State of a corporate approved inspector remains extant until withdrawn. The appointments are not subject to periodic review.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to apply to new approved inspectors appointed under the provisions of the Building Act 1984 the same regime of departmental authorisation and performance monitoring as that applied to NHBC Building Control Services Ltd. [34369]
Mr. Clappison:
Under the provisions of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 1985, corporate approved inspectors such as NHBC Building Control Services Ltd. are approved by the Secretary of State. There is no regime of departmental authorisation beyond the approval process. As with local authority building control, the Department conducts no formal monitoring of the performance of approved inspectors.
We have no plans at present to modify the regulations governing the importation of medical and clinical waste into the United Kingdom. However, the question of clinical waste imports has recently been raised informally with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health by the Irish Minister for Health. As a result, we understand that the Irish Government are considering making a formal request for a temporary dispensation to continue imports of clinical waste for low temperature incineration. We will consider any such request on its merits.
Rechem International Ltd.: Pontypool
Rechem International Ltd.: Southampton
Cleanaway Ltd.: Ellesmere Port
Leigh Environmental Ltd. Killamarsh.
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