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Packaging Waste
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of whether the UK will achieve the targets set under the EU Directive on Packaging Waste; and if he will make a statement. [76983]
Mr. Meacher: As I said in my answer to my hon. Friend on 15 March 1999, Official Report, columns 466-67, the recovery rate for packaging waste is expected to have reached approximately 32 per cent. in 1998 and the interim business targets are designed to enable the UK to achieve the mandatory EC Directive recovery and recycling targets in 2001. Industry itself has reported that there was an oversupply of reprocessing capacity in 1998 compared with the targets that had to be met and this was damaging the market. The increase in the interim business recovery and recycling targets should therefore generate the necessary momentum to enable sufficient activity to be carried out to achieve the 2001 targets. A further consideration was the need for sufficient resources to be directed at generating the necessary collection and reprocessing capacity that will be needed to meet the targets in 2001. With this additional infrastructure in place the UK should be able to meet the mandatory Directive targets.
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take steps to provide clarification of the definition of imported materials under the packaging waste regulations. [76984]
Mr. Meacher: Guidance on the definition of imported packaging and packaging materials was provided in chapter five of the "Users Guide", issued by my Department in March 1997, a copy of which is in the Library. This continues to reflect the Department's opinion.
Genetically Modified Organisms
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what dates his Department has received representations from the United States Government on genetically modified organisms since 1 May 1997; in what form each representation was made; and from which United States department each originated. [77116]
Mr. Meacher: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Stinchcombe) on 1 March 1999, Official Report, column 509. The visit was from a representative of the State Department and took place 25 January 1999.
Global Warming
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what evidence he obtained about global warming during his visit to the Maldives; and what conclusions he has drawn from it. [75691]
Mr. Prescott
[holding answer 18 March 1999]: Small island states are especially vulnerable to global warming and its associated effects. During my visit to the Maldives, I heard from the Government and local marine scientists about the effects of global warming, rising sea
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temperatures and pollution on some of the coral reefs there, and the particular threat that is posed by these phenomena to island states like the Maldives.
I was also able to see some of the damage to the reefs for myself, particularly the evidence of coral bleaching event recorded during April to June last year, the result of high sea-surface temperature caused by El Nin~o. This was the worst ever recorded in the Maldives and affected some 95 per cent. of the reefs. On one of the sites that I was shown, over 35 per cent. of the corals were bleached and approximately 40 per cent. were dead.
There are clear links between climate change, oceans and land-based sources of pollution--everyone has a part to play in helping to solve the problem. In addition to the ongoing efforts to tackle climate change, I intend to continue to highlight this issue and to press for improved international co-ordination on oceans matters when I attend the Commission on Sustainable Development meeting in New York next month.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the purpose of the medical examination required by Regulation 16(2) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 as amended by the Control of Asbestos at Work (Amendment) Regulations 1998. [77876]
Mr. Meale:
Doctors carry out medical examinations under Regulation 16(2) to advise workers on their general fitness for work with asbestos (including their fitness to work wearing respiratory protective equipment), to provide them with information about their current state of respiratory health, to alert workers to early signs of disease, and to warn them about the increased risk of lung cancer for those who smoke and work with asbestos.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what controls will be applied to contractors licensed only to remove asbestos insulation board to prevent them from undertaking any other type of asbestos stripping work. [77877]
Mr. Meale:
Contractors are required to give 14 days advance notice of work with asbestos as a condition of their licence. In 1999-2000, the Health and Safety Executive's Field Operations Directorate plan to visit at least 800 notified jobs and also to visit 40 local authorities to deal with risks from asbestos to building and maintenance workers in their properties.
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In addition, in 1999-2000 the Directorate has planned for 80,000 preventive inspections in addition to complaint and accident investigations. Inspectors are aware of the importance of asbestos and will be alert to illegal work during such visits.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Health and Safety Executive plans to license contractors who remove only asbestos insulation board under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1993, as amended by the Asbestos (Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1998. [77874]
Mr. Meale:
Yes. From 1 August 1999, the regulations will apply to licensed contractors who only work with asbestos insulation board in the same way as they do to those working with asbestos coating and insulation.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the medical examination certificates issued to workers exposed to asbestos under the amended Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 are intended to fulfil the requirements of asbestos laws in all European Union member states. [77875]
Mr. Meale:
No. The intention behind the amendment to the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations to issue a medical certificate to both the employer and employee is to prevent the forgery of medical certificates. The UK's requirements for medical surveillance are stricter than the minimum standards laid down by the EU Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to asbestos at work.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to ban the import, marketing and use of Chrysotile asbestos. [77878]
Mr. Meale:
The Government are firmly committed to further restrictions on the importation, supply and use of white asbestos. The Health and Safety Commission has already consulted on proposals to amend the (Asbestos Prohibitions) Regulations and I look forward to receiving its recommendations, taking account of European Developments, in June.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 2 December 1998, Official Report, columns 180-81, on ENTRUST, if he will list the 33 projects for the remediation of contaminated land and the sort of remediation undertaken. [77645]
Mr. Meale:
According to ENTRUST, the 33 projects are listed in the table.
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