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Waste Disposal (Agriculture)
Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to promote the proximity principle for waste disposal in agriculture. [123654]
Mr. Mullin: The Government made it clear in statutory planning guidance "Planning policy guidance note 10: planning and waste management" that future waste management decisions should be based on the proximity principle, which says that waste should be disposed of as near as possible to its place of production, because the transporting of waste itself has an environmental impact.
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South Atlantic Medal
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will arrange for the South Atlantic Medal to be awarded to those residents of the island of St. Helena who served on board RMS St. Helena in the war zone during the Falklands War. [123655]
Mr. Hill: The service performed by St. Helena residents on board RMS St. Helena during the Falklands War is much appreciated. Unfortunately the period served was just too short to meet the criterion for issue of the South Atlantic Medal, laid down in MOD Command Paper 544/82.
Byker Heat Station
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what materials were released to air from the Byker heat station in 1995; and if the operating licence imposed a duty to record the nature of the releases. [123899]
Mr. Hill: The Environment Agency's authorisation for Byker Heat Station prescribes annual mass limits for the releases to air of groups of significant materials: Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Carbon Monoxide, particulate matter, Hydrogen Chloride, Hydrogen Fluoride, certain aggregates of metals and Dioxins. The authorisation also requires recording and reporting of these releases; this information is forwarded to the Agency and is retained for inspection on a public register in Newcastle. The information is also available via the Environment Agency's website.
| Substance | Limit of release (kg) | Total release (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon Monoxide | 25,500 | 10,160 |
| Hydrogen Chloride | 14,000 | 7,060 |
| Hydrogen Fluoride | 600 | 174 |
| Metals (CR+CU+MN+PB) | 1,360 | 47.72 |
| Metals (AS+NI) | 240 | 4.48 |
| Metals (CD+HG) | 60 | 5.51 |
| Nitrogen Oxides (AS N02) | 98,000 | 53,580 |
| Particulates--Total | 8,500 | 2,060 |
| Polychlorinated Dibenzo-P-Dioxin--all Congeners | 0.03 | 0.117 |
| Sulphur Dioxide | 84,000 | 42,550 |
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 24 March 2000, Official Report, column 701W, if (a) back-up power for controls was required at the Byker Heat Station during the 1995 failure and (b) back-up is required and available now; for what reason the releases to air following the failure cannot be quantified; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which the failure to quantify such releases constitutes a breach of the operating licence. [123922]
Mr. Hill: In 1995 electrical power was supplied from the national grid and by the plant's own generator. As power is no longer generated on site, the alternative power source is no longer available. The authorisation issued by the Environment Agency does not specifically require back-up power.
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The releases could not be quantified, as both the pollutant concentration and their flow rates changed continuously throughout the 15 minute incident. The amount released was non-quantified and did not constitute a notifiable release; the then regulator HMIP took no action. Authorisation conditions normally take account of transient conditions such as unpredicted power failure, and this did not constitute a breach of the authorisation.
Forms
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the net change in each year since May 1997 in the number of forms issued by his Department which (a) charities and (b) other voluntary organisations are required to complete. [123949]
Ms Beverley Hughes: There has been no net change.
Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury-Chester Rail Line
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress made to make the Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury-Chester rail line a priority Trans-European Network. [123902]
Mr. Hill: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 22 May 2000, Official Report, column 323W.
Telecommunications Masts
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers are available to planning authorities to regulate the siting, appearance and power of mobile phone transmitter masts. [124098]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Government planning policy for telecommunications is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 8 (revised): Telecommunications, and the Department's Circular 4/99 "Planning for Telecommunications".
The installation of any telecommunications mast in protected areas, such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and conservation areas, and of masts above 15 metres in height elsewhere, is subject to a planning application for determination by the local planning authority. In the case of masts of 15 metres and below in height, local planning authorities are able to consider the siting and appearance of such development by licensed telecommunications code system operators in accordance with the "prior approval procedure" under Part 24 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended).
Under the prior approval procedure, a local planning authority has the opportunity to say whether it wishes to approve, within 42 days for ground-based masts and 28 days for masts on a building or structure, details of the siting and appearance of the installation. If an authority considers that the development will pose a serious threat to amenity, it is able to refuse approval, although authorities are advised to explore the scope for modifying its siting and/or appearance before doing so.
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Planning Authorities are not responsible for regulating the power of mobile phone masts, and have no powers to do so. Telecommunications operators have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and the Management of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to ensure that their work activities, which would include the operation of their apparatus, do not present a risk to employees and the general public.
In our response to the report of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones, issued on 11 May 2000 and placed in the Libraries of both Houses, the Government said that they were minded to introduce a requirement for an application for full planning permission for all new telecommunications masts, but would need to consult widely before doing so, including on the principle and precise scope of any new arrangements. We shall issue a consultation paper on this and related guidance as soon as practicable.
Local Government Conduct Guidelines
Mr. Prior: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if, following the recent issue of a public interest report by the District Auditor, pursuant to an objection to the accounts of Sheringham Town Council for 1996-97, he proposes to amend the national guidelines for local Government conduct, with specific reference to the exemptions contained in section 12(b) and to parish or town councillors who have been appointed to a voluntary body or charity; and if he will make a statement on the status of the guidelines. [124134]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Under the Local Government Bill currently before the House all local authorities, including parish and town councils, will be required to adopt a new Code of Conduct, in line with a new Model Code to be issued by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister. These Codes will replace the existing National Code of Local Government Conduct.
GM Crops
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans there are to conduct a criminal investigation into the planting in spring of this year of an oil seed rape variety after it was discovered to be contaminated with GM seeds. [123755]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 25 May 2000]: The Government are still considering this matter.
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the statement by Advanta that cross-pollination between GM and non-GM crops in Canada led to the contamination of rape oil seed planted in the United Kingdom, with particular reference to separation distances between GM and non-GM crops in the UK. [123267]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 23 May 2000]: We are urgently investigating with Advanta the circumstances in Canada that gave rise to the contamination of oil seed rape planted in the United Kingdom.
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Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in other member states of the European Union about the possible contamination of the European conventional maize crop with GM maize. [124342]
Mr. Meacher: I have not had any discussions with Environment Ministers of other member states about this issue, but I shall raise this at the June EU Environment Council.
My officials have been in contact with officials in other member states where Advanta seeds are known to have been sold.
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