§ 19. Mr. Sutcliffeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, following his recent initiative, what report he has received from the Clean Air Council panel on the means whereby the Teesside County Borough Council domestic smoke control programme may be accelerated.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI expect the panel, which is to consider evidence from each of the nineteen so-called "black" local authorities of Tyne and Tees, as well as from other sources, to report to the Clean Air Council in October.
§ Mr. SutcliffeAs this is a matter vitally affecting the health and well-being of over 500,000 people in and around Teesside, I congratulate my hon. Friend on this admirable sense of urgency. Does he foresee any obstacle at least to doubling the rate of progress of the programme which, as he knows, at the present rate will take until 1984 to eliminate domestic smoke from Teesside?
§ Mr. GriffithsI know of no obstacle, administrative or physical, to a massive increase in the clean air programmes of these areas. My right hon. Friend has made it clear that the Government are anxious to see faster progress and I am glad to have my hon. Friend's support in urging the local authorities to get on with it.
Mr. Bob BrownIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the former Labour Council of Newcastle-upon-Tyne had planned to have clean air by the end of 1970, that the present council is talking in terms of having clean air by the end of the decade and that the local health committee has requested extra staff to accelerate the programme in compliance with the Secretary of State's desires but 515 that the finance committee has thrown out its request?
§ Mr. GriffithsMy impression, having met the local authorities in the area, is that they are ready and willing to make progress in conformity with the advice my right hon. Friend has offered. I hope that the hon. Gentleman and all other hon. Members representing the area will join with the panel of the Clean Air Council in creating a cleaner North, which can be had.