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Reports

Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the reports submitted to his Department, by bodies that were created after May 1997 and that include significant and plural membership from outside the Civil Service, stating in each case the body writing the report, the date the report was submitted, how many recommendations were made, the number of those recommendations that have been implemented to date and the number of recommendations that have been rejected; and if he will make a statement. [133565]

Ms Stuart: An updated central list was published on 27 July covering a certain amount of this information.

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In addition, a first central list of information was published on 11 January 2000. Copies of the lists are available in the Library. Information about the numbers of recommendations made and the number rejected could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

National Poisons Information Service

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000, Official Report, columns 511-12W, what (a) staff, (b) staff-time, (c) services and (d) in-laid support are provided to the Medical Toxicology Unit at Guy's and St. Thomas's by the agrochemical industry; and on what basis information relating to pesticides is provided from the Medical Toxicology Unit to agrochemical companies. [133290]

Yvette Cooper: I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (1) pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000, Official Report, column 511-12W, if he will place in the Library a copy of the outstanding National Poisons Information Service Centre reports for the year 1999-2000 that were scheduled to be completed by the end of June; [133299]

(2) pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2000, Official Report, columns 511-12W, if he will make it his policy to allow a lay representative on the National Poisons Information Service; [133288]

(3) pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000, Official Report, column 511-12W, if he will place in the Library the reports made by the National Poisons Information Service Centre to comply with the provisions of European Commission Resolution 90/C 329/03. [133300]

Yvette Cooper: The Management Board of the National Poisons Information Service is not a statutory body. It exists to support the internal funding and management arrangements between the NPIS centres and the United Kingdom Health Departments. Membership is drawn from the UK Health Departments and from specialists in the field representing users of the service, for example: accident and emergency consultants; general practitioners; purchasers; paediatricians; general physicians and nursing. We believe that lay membership is not appropriate to the work of this Board.

I am happy to place copies of the National Poisons Information Service Centre Reports for the year 1999-2000 in the Library. The hon. Member may wish to know that plans are in hand to make the reports routinely available on a wider basis in the future.

I am also happy to provide a copy of the last report (1998) required under the provisions of the European Commission Resolution 90/C 329-03 which comprises contributions from each of the NPIS centres.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000, Official Report, columns 511-12W, on the National Poisons Information Service, if he will list the other associated activities that take place at the Medical Toxicology Unit. [133297]

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Yvette Cooper: The other associated activity that take place at the Medical Toxicology Unit are:

Chemical Incident Response Service:

Medical Toxicology Laboratory providing a wide range of services to the National Health Service and the coroners. The laboratory undertakes funded contract work but not for the agrochemical industry.

Medical Toxicology Clinical Service--funded by referring health authorities and the trust;

Veterinary Poisons Information:

Research within the Department of Health contracts and as funded by outside bodies such as South East Asia Regional Office, World Health Organisation;

Memorandum of Understanding with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000, Official Report, columns 511-12W, on the National Poisons Information Service Board, from what sources the establishment of the equipment and testing procedures at the Medical Toxicology Unit at Guys' and St. Thomas' has been funded. [133289]

Yvette Cooper: The establishment of the equipment and testing procedures at the Medical Toxicology Unit at Guy's and St. Thomas's has been funded from trust contracts with health authorities and the Charitable Foundation at Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospital.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Water Metering

Mr. Brake: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if the Committee will review water metering arrangements in non-metered buildings and set a maximum level of water consumption in them. [131933]

Sir Sydney Chapman [holding answer 26 July 2000]: All parliamentary buildings, except residential accommodation, are fitted with water meters already. Measures to reduce water consumption include reduced cistern capacity, economies on urinals and the re-use of grey water.

Asbestos

Mr. Brake: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if the Committee will ensure (a) that the House uses appropriate risk management techniques when undertaking work in buildings where asbestos could be present, (b) that asbestos materials are removed and disposed of safely and (c) asbestos-free materials are used for new work and for replacing existing asbestos materials. [131926]

Sir Sydney Chapman [holding answer 26 July 2000]: I am pleased to advise the hon. Member that the Parliamentary Works Directorate operates in these ways already.

Water Consumption

Mr. Brake: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will establish a target for

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the House to achieve a maximum level of water consumption equivalent to an average of 7.7 cubic metres per person by April 2002. [131932]

Mr. Kirkwood [holding answer 26 July 2000]: No. It is not realistic to measure the water consumption per head on the Parliamentary Estate. However, water economy measures are being taken. For example, recycled water is used in Portcullis House and it is planned for the Norman Shaw (South) building after its refurbishment.

Recycling

Mr. Brake: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will establish a target for the House to (a) recover a minimum of 40 per cent. of total office waste, with at least 25 per cent. coming from recycling or composting, in 2000-01, (b) to increase the amount recovered and recycled by 10 per cent. each year to achieve 70 per cent. recovery or recycling in 2003-04 and (c) to reduce the amount of hazardous waste generated. [131931]

Mr. Kirkwood [holding answer 26 July 2000]: No. We exceed the target of 25 per cent. recycling and 40 per cent. recovery already. Increased recycling is to be considered when our waste disposal contract next comes for renewal.

Mr. Brake: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will establish targets for the House to (a) reduce paper use, (b) buy 100 per cent. recycled paper comprising at least 80 per cent. genuine post-consumer waste and to use this for all work not requiring specialist papers, (c) ensure that any virgin pulp used in paper purchased comes from sustainably-managed woodlands and that both the pulp and the recycling process is chlorine free and (d) ensure that only water-based varnish is used. [131924]

Mr. Kirkwood [holding answer 26 July 2000]: This is a matter for the Serjeant at Arms; I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend.

Environmental Performance

Mr. Brake: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will establish a target for the House (a) not to buy products which contain ozone-depleting substances, where there are suitable alternatives, (b) to control leaks through regular servicing of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment containing ozone-depleting substances and (c) to reduce emissions which occur through regular servicing of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. [131930]

Mr. Kirkwood [holding answer 26 July 2000]: Refrigeration and air conditioning is regularly serviced to control leaks and reduce emissions. Contractors supplying materials to Parliament are not permitted to include products which contain ozone-depleting substances where there are suitable alternatives.

Mr. Brake: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will establish a target for the House (a) to reduce the use of hazardous substances

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and techniques, (b) for the use of building materials and furnishings which are low emitters of formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds and other potentially- hazardous substances, (c) for the use of recycled batteries, (d) for limiting the use of products containing potentially-harmful solvents, (e) to the increase in use of biodegradable substances, (f) to comply with the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and (g) for noise reduction. [131925]

Mr. Kirkwood [holding answer 26 July 2000]: In all these areas, apart from recycled batteries, which are considered separately, the Parliamentary Works Directorate maintains a safety and environmental check list which sets out a code of practice and measures performance based on COSHH risk assessment.

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