HC Deb 11 February 1958 vol 582 cc192-4
12. Dr. Stross

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he has noted the transformation that has taken place in the atmosphere of Stoke-on-Trent, and the great saving of raw coal, since the introduction of firing pottery in continuous kilns using smokeless fuel; and whether he will state the reasoning that led him to place the pottery industry as a whole into the care of the Alkali Inspectorate.

Mr. Bevins

My right hon. Friend has been glad to note these developments in the pottery industry and hopes that they will continue. He does not propose to schedule the whole of the industry under the Alkali Act, but only those works in which coal or oil-fired intermittent kilns are still in use. These present intractable problems in regard to the prevention of dark smoke.

Dr. Stross

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that that answer is not very satisfactory and will not meet with the agreement of those who know the problems, in the City of Stoke-on-Trent? Has he noted that his answer could have been given for the whole of the industry in 1938, when the problem would have been assumed to be intractable, but that the general view now held by experts in the area is that there is no need whatsoever for raw coal to be used in almost any of the industrial processes used in firing pottery, or in other firing processes in industry? Will he give the matter further consideration, please, for we now have considerable experience in this matter?

Mr. Bevins

As I say, my right hon. Friend certainly hopes that these developments in firing in the pottery industry will go ahead, but meanwhile he thinks it wise that these more intractable problems should come under the supervision of the Alkali Inspectorate.

Mrs. Slater

Is it not for the very reason that the hon. Gentleman has just given that the industry should not be scheduled as such and taken away from the supervision of the inspectors in the local areas? It seems to me that the people in the local area have a detailed knowledge of the problems, which therefore should be kept under their control and not under the remote control of alkali inspectors in Birmingham.

Mr. Bevins

We shall certainly have regard to what has been said in this House this afternoon, but meanwhile my right hon. Friend is of the opinion that these difficult cases should come under the Alkali Inspectorate.