HC Deb 28 March 1955 vol 539 c11
16. Mrs. Slater

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give a general direction to the National Coal Board requiring them to take steps to prevent the burning of soil tips.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

No, Sir.

Mrs. Slater

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is a great problem to the people in the coalmining areas, and that to the housewife it presents a continual fight against dirt, and to other people a fight against pollution of the atmosphere, so that the windows of houses and schools in the vicinity cannot be opened, and would not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the matter?

Mr. Lloyd

I know that it is a serious problem, but it would not be proper for me to try to deal with this by a general direction to the National Coal Board, because Parliament has already dealt with it in a series of statutes and the initiative is with the local authority.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Might not the Minister ask the National Coal Board to put its Research Department to finding out ways of dealing with this grave abuse which really ought to have been ended long ago?

Mr. Lloyd

I think that is definitely the case.

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