§ 4. Mr. James Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will conduct a survey in the industrial part of Scotland, using his Alkali Inspectorate, to inquire into plants which are emitting dust and grit which are proving a danger 534 to health or causing physical irritation, with a view to establishing the size of the problem and therefore determining to what extent his Alkali Inspectorate needs to be strengthened to deal with the problem.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Development, Scottish Office (Mr. George Younger)All works registered under the Alkali Acts are already subject to continuous inspection by the Inspectorate of Industrial Pollution. In addition, my right hon. Friend's Department has been joining in a comprehensive review of air pollution monitoring in Britain, and an announcement will be made when the results of the review have been considered.
§ Mr. HamiltonI thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply, but I have met the alkali inspector in my constituency along with the management of a certain plant belonging to the British Steel Corporation and I wish the Minister to note that virtually in Lanarkshire as a whole we are much bothered by this problem. Irrespective of what the alkali inspectors, the public health inspector and the medical officer of health may say, none of the things we want are being done. Has the Scottish Office any power to do something about this problem, which is causing a great deal of irritation and, most important of all, is injurious to the health of people in the various localities affected?
§ Mr. YoungerI am well aware of the hon. Gentleman's close interest in this matter and of the problem of his constituency. It is the policy of alkali inspectors to contact the firms concerned when there are problems of this kind and to press them as hard as they can within reason to take action. I think that the hon. Gentleman will agree, in the case of the Clydesmill Works, that special efforts have been made by the people running the plant. After this winter, when the intermediate pressure boiler capacity is taken out altogether, things should improve there. I shall keep the matter under very close watch.