Examination of Witnesses (Questions 10740
- 10759)
10740. So the concern is that dust might be
lingering from the previous day's construction at the Lindsey
Street worksite?
(Mr Lawrence) Possibly.
10741. But I think my point is right, that on
basis of the hours you have given and our hours, there will on
the face of it be an hour's overlap, between eight and nine in
the morning?
(Mr Lawrence) And you are saying they start at eight o'clock?
10742. The core construction activities are
intended to start at eight o'clock.
(Mr Lawrence) What about the deliveries?
10743. That would be the same.
(Mr Lawrence) Well, that would be the case but it would not
overlap for one hour, it would overlap for two or three hours,
and some of the tenants which I did discuss earlier on do not
finish until ten/eleven o'clock anyway.
10744. Just to complete the point, I am concerned
with core construction activities because those are the activities
that are going to generate dust, do you see the point?
(Mr Lawrence) Yes, I do.
10745. And insofar as that is concerned, on
the face of it, we are talking about an overlap of an hour a day,
between eight and nine in the morning?
(Mr Lawrence) No. There may be some deliveries that come
in at eight, nine, ten o'clock, half past ten, eleven o'clock.
10746. Deliveries of meat?
(Mr Lawrence) Yes.
10747. But that is relatively unusual?
(Mr Lawrence) Not at all. I should think you could go around
Smithfield Market any time at seven/eight o'clock and there would
be a container or two or three ready to be unloaded, and they
may not be up loaded until ten or half past ten in the morning.
10748. It is obviously more complicated than
I thought.
(Mr Lawrence) Yes, it is.
10749. LORD YOUNG OF NORWOOD GREEN: I
would like to clarify that because I was particularly concerned
about that. As I understood you, you said in reply to my question
that the bulk of your business, 90 per cent, you agreed with me,
finished at nine o'clock, and then you went on to say that there
are some boxed meat people who continue trading until about ten
or eleven o'clock?
(Mr Lawrence) Yes.
10750. But are you now modifying that assessment
and saying carcass delivery goes on until —
(Mr Lawrence) No. I am sorry if I did not make myself clear.
You have one particular supplier from Scotland who would very
rarely unload before ten o'clock in the morning anyway, very rarely.
But there is a 10 per cent—two or three containers get unloaded
after the time I did say.
10751. So that is carcass you refer to, and
that is within that 10 per cent?
(Mr Lawrence) Yes.
10752. And then that includes the box trading
afterwards?
(Mr Lawrence) That is correct, yes.
10753. BARONESS FOOKES: And I think that
point was made by the previous witness as well, if I recall, that
everything did not stop dead.
(Mr Lawrence) If I could just add, because it may be of some
interest, the market hours officially are until midday anyway.
Officially.
10754. LORD BROOKE OF ALVETHORPE: As
this is a relatively small number that run into normal working
hours of the day, would be the best way of describing it —-
would there be any basis on which, for example, the people coming
from Scotland could be asked and appropriately compensated for
coming earlier?
(Mr Lawrence) It does not work that way, my Lord, because
it may not suit the tenants. Certain tenants have not got enough
room to have that extra container in overnight; they have to wait
until they cut their meat, pack it, and about eight, nine or ten
o'clock they get another container in ready for that evening —
10755. It is volume?
(Mr Lawrence) Yes.
10756. LORD YOUNG OF NORWOOD GREEN: It
sounds like just-in-time delivery!
10757. CHAIRMAN: What is going on in
relation to carcass meat about nine o'clock in the morning? Some
of it is being unloaded from containers who come from Scotland,
is it?
(Mr Lawrence) I just used Scotland as an example, that is
a regular one, but you may have a container from Devon, even Ireland.
10758. But they are being unloaded from incoming
containers and being put into the stores or whatever?
(Mr Lawrence) Tenants' premises, yes.
10759. And all that time the inspectors are
buzzing around, are they?
(Mr Lawrence) Yes, they are.
Re-examined by MR
DINGEMANS
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