§ 8. Mr. Worsleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will instruct all National Health Service hospitals to observe the requirements of local authorities about smoke emissions in the same way as other institutions.
§ Mr. AlisonHospital authorities have already been instructed to do all they can to secure compliance with the requirements of the Clean Air Acts and to co-operate with local authorities in reducing or eliminating smoke from hospital chimneys.
§ Mr. WorsleyI know that because of correspondence on the subject my hon. Friend is aware that in my constituency a hospital has been creating a major nuisance. Surely a hospital, of all institutions, should set an example to the rest of the community in producing clean smoke from its chimneys? Can my hon. Friend give me any reason why every hospital should not observe the regulations for local authorities?
§ Mr. AlisonAs I told my hon. Friend, hospitals are certainly subject to instructions to observe the regulations which apply to non-statutory buildings or operators as well as to themselves. The Clean Air Acts require my right hon. Friend to keep a close watch on the matter, and he does so. We vigorously followed up my hon. Friend's complaint, and he can take some reassurance from the fact that the substantial hospital building programme is resulting in a wide range of new buildings with modern fuel-burning equipment.
§ Dr. VaughanIs my hon. Friend happy about the control of other kinds of waste and emissions, quite apart from smoke? I have in mind, for example, radioactive waste, where I am not sure that my hon. Friend's controls are adequate for what is going on.
§ Mr. AlisonThat is another and rather wider question. If my hon. Friend communicates with me about it I shall give close attention to it.
§ Mr. Simon MahonWhen considering the atmosphere around hospitals will the Minister also consider the factor of noise, both inside and outside hospitals, which can greatly affect patients? If the hon. Gentleman wants any evidence, I can give him plenty from the Liverpool hospitals.
§ Mr. AlisonI note the hon. Gentleman's point, though it goes rather wider than the Question. He will appreciate the difficulty of reconciling the need to locate hospitals centrally, where people can get to them easily, with the accompanying hazards of noise, congestion, and so on.