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Greenwich Peninsula (Bathing Facilities)
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to provide bathing facilities on the Greenwich peninsula. [47785]
Angela Eagle:
None.
29 Jun 1998 : Column: 89
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Globe Conference held in Aarhus, Denmark. [47782]
Mr. Meacher:
I attended the Aarhus Conference for Parliamentarians, "Our Common European Garden in 1998", for the Ministerial Panel, organised by Globe Europe on 22 June. The conference reaffirmed the central role played by Parliamentarians in progressing sustainable development, and was a useful contribution to the Aarhus Environment for Europe Conference which began the following day. Parliamentarians from 37 countries agreed a set of conclusions from the Globe Conference, covering the Environment for Europe conference, sustainable development in Europe, endocrine disrupters, climate change and energy efficiency, and the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what checks are presently carried out on (a) approved chemicals and (b) chemicals for which approval is sought to assess their potential for endocrine disruption. [47779]
Angela Eagle:
Pesticides represent the major class of chemicals for which formal approval is required before they can be used and which may be present in the environment. The UK Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) (1986) (amended) is currently operated alongside the EC Plant Protection Products Directive (91/414/EEC), which is implemented in the UK by the Plant Protection Products Regulations (1995) (amended). Annex II to the Directive states that possible effects on all aspects of reproductive physiology in both males and females, as well as possible effects on pre-natal and post-natal development, must be investigated and reported.
Approved chemicals are subject to a review procedure, which may include assessment of their endocrine disrupting potential.
For veterinary medicines, all applications for marketing authorisations must meet statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. In this context, safety includes to the operator as well as the health and welfare of the treated animal, to the consumer of any food products from treated animals and to the environment.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent research the Government have initiated into endocrine disrupting chemicals. [47777]
Angela Eagle:
New research programmes, totalling over £3 million, to study (a) trends in male reproductive health and the possible influence of chemicals and (b) endocrine disruption in the marine environment have been initiated jointly by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, other Government Departments and Agencies and the European Chemical Industry Council.
29 Jun 1998 : Column: 90
In addition, DETR has initiated research into non-reproductive effects of endocrine disruption in wildlife and recently contributed to an Environment Agency led study of the effects of endocrine disrupters on reproduction in wild fish.
Government Departments and Agencies also support a range of projects on chemicals with known or suspected endocrine disrupting properties including tributyltin (TBT), dioxins, furans and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the chemicals (a) known to cause endocrine disruption and (b) suspected of causing endocrine disruption. [47778]
Angela Eagle:
The Institute for Environment and Health and the Environment Agency have listed some individual substances within the following chemical categories as having endocrine disrupting activity; naturally produced female sex steroid hormones, synthetic steroid hormones, phytoestrogens (naturally occurring chemicals found in plans), polychlorinated organic compounds, organochlorine pesticides, organotins, alkylphenols, alkylphenol ethoxylates (short chain), phthalates and biphenolic compounds. Within each category there are also related substances suspected of having endocrine activity, but for which the data are not yet adequate to allow a definitive conclusion.
Other categories of substances, including some pesticides, are also suspected of having endocrine disrupting activity.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the content of, and decisions reached at, the third meeting of green ministers. [47780]
Mr. Meacher:
On 8 June, Green Ministers met for the third time, to consider the next stage of the Greening Government Initiative.
We agreed that we should continue to meet three times a year. Starting in the next Parliamentary Session in the Autumn, we will announce our main programme of work for the coming year to progress policy integration, environmental appraisal and greening operations.
Ministers are keen to find the best way of publicly reporting progress. We discussed a number of options and will reach a final view in the light of the forthcoming report on Greening Government by the Commons Environmental Audit Committee.
Green Ministers considered the role of sustainable development indicators. We welcomed the work that had already been done involving a large number of stakeholders both within and outside Government and emphasised the need to ensure that the links between economic, social and environmental areas are easily understood.
We also noted progress in implementing the green operations model policy and improvement programme and green transport plans. Now that these plans were in place Government Departments needed to play a leading role across the UK in helping green business operations.
29 Jun 1998 : Column: 91
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which Ministers attended the Third Meeting of Green Ministers; and which Ministers were represented by officials. [47781]
Mr. Meacher:
I chaired the third meeting of the group on 8 June 1998 and the following Green Ministers attended:
| Department | Green Minister |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Jeff Rooker MP |
| Culture, Media and Sport | Mark Fisher MP |
| Defence | John Spellar MP |
| Environment, Transport and the Regions | Glenda Jackson MP |
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office | Derek Fatchett MP |
| Health | Tessa Jowell MP |
| Home Office | Mike O'Brien MP |
| Law Officers | The Lord Falconer QC |
| Lord Chancellor's | Geoff Hoon MP |
| Office of Public Service | Peter Kilfoyle MP |
| Social Security | John Denham MP |
| Trade and Industry | John Battle MP |
Note:
The Scottish and Welsh Offices were represented by Henry MacLeish MP and Peter Hain MP respectively
The Chancellor's Departments, the Department for Education and Employment, the Department for International Development and the Northern Ireland Office were represented by officials.
Public Participation Convention
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he plans to take to implement the Convention on Public Participation, Access to Information and Access to Justice. [47774]
Mr. Meacher: On behalf of the UK, I signed the UNECE Convention on Public Participation, Access to Information and Access to Justice on 25 June 1998. The Convention will become legally binding when we ratify it. We are developing our strategy on how best to implement the Convention and we will have the necessary measures in place before ratification.
Our consultation paper on a revised sustainable development strategy highlighted access to information and public participation as important for the achievement of sustainable development and we will be considering these issues further in light of the consultation responses.
The Government's proposals for a new Freedom of Information Act will also be an important measure for the implementation of the Convention.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the representations from other countries his Department has received since 1 May 1997 in respect of the Sellafield reprocessing facility. [47746]
Angela Eagle:
Since 1 May 1997, the Department has received the following representations in respect of the Sellafield reprocessing facility, the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP): one letter from Germany, one from France, one from Ireland and two from Denmark.
29 Jun 1998 : Column: 92
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the cost of decontaminating the Millennium Experience site at Greenwich to date. [46345]
Angela Eagle:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 30 July 1997, Official Report, column 412.
Miss Kirkbride:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what impact he expects the Millennium Experience at Greenwich to have on the local transport system. [46344]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Wilkinson) on 1 June 1998, Official Report, columns 33-34.
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