HC Deb 27 July 1977 vol 936 cc611-2
4. Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made by the county councils in their survey of suitable sites for waste disposal.

The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Mr. Denis Howell)

Section 2 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 is not yet in operation, but of the 46 county waste disposal authorities in England I understand that 15 have completed or nearly completed their surveys, 22 have begun working on them and nine have not yet started.

Mr. Knox

In view of public concern about the disposal of waste, is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that fast enough progress is being made? If not, what does he intend to do about it?

Mr. Howell

The information that I have just given the House shows that much progress has been made on a voluntary basis by local authorities that are anxious to proceed. As for the implementation of Section 2, which I want to introduce as fast as I can, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I am in touch with the local authority associations on that very point. As soon as they think that it is appropriate for us to implement Section 2, I shall be happy to do so on behalf of the Government.

Mr. Ronald Atkins

Will my right hon. Friend consider the advisability of his Department carrying out a national survey to locate those areas able to receive waste material and those areas that need to get rid of it? In that way, would it not be possible to remove much of the dereliction at a relatively low national cost, bearing in mind the large pockets of unemployment and spare railway capacity in derelict areas?

Mr. Howell

I understand the philosophy behind my hon. Friend's question and I entitrely agree with it. I believe that the Control of Pollution Act will bring about some result, but by a rather different method, namely, by making it the responsibility of the local authorities exporting waste to co-ordinate arrangements in conjunction with the receiving areas. By these processes I think that we shall achieve what my hon. Friend has in mind.

Mr. Sainsbury

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the waste disposal authorities and water authorities have an adequate basis of information upon which to determine the most suitable sites for waste disposal? In the absence of a hydro-geological survey and criteria being issued by the right hon. Gentleman's Department, is there not a risk that much wasted work will take place?

Mr. Howell

I do not think that that is quite true, but what is true is that the reason for our not being able to implement Section 2 initially was mainly the scarce resources of skilled manpower capable of carrying out these services. That is what was holding us up initially. I have given figures that show that local authorities are getting over the problem of the lack of skilled manpower. That is what is shown by the surveys that are now being undertaken. I have every confidence that we can very soon meet the objectives of the Act.