§ 43. Mr. Chetwyndasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that the tom-cat smell is still affecting Stockton-on-Tees and Tees-side; and what further action is being taken to treat the effluent which is believed to be the cause of it.
§ Mr. BevinsNo, Sir. The District Alkali Inspector has been in touch with the local authorities and there have been no recent reports of this smell.
There is however a complaint of a fishlike smell, which almost certainly comes from an amines plant. This plant is not controlled under the Alkali Act, but the District Alkali Inspector is co-operating with the local authorities and the company concerned in measures to put a stop to it.
It is proposed to collect all escapes of gases from the plant and to burn them in a special combustion unit. This work should be completed by the end of August.
§ Mr. ChetwyndIs the Minister aware that it is no less distasteful to my constituents to know that the tom-cat smell has been replaced by a rotten-fish smell? Can we be assured that all the measures 1004 will be pushed ahead with the greatest energy to obviate this great nuisance?
§ Mr. BevinsI think the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question shows that impressions of smell are subjective. We shall get on with it.