HC Deb 21 February 1990 vol 167 cc924-5
11. Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for how many works each Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution inspector is responsible.

Mr. Trippier

There are some 10,750 works subject to control by HMIP and 76 field inspectors. Work programmes for field inspectors are set annually according to management's assessment of regulation requirements and priorites.

Mr. Wardell

As the Minister will know, many of those registered works are highly dangerous in terms of potential emissions to air. He will know of the two Rechem plants at Pontypool and Southampton and the Cleanaway plant at Ellesmere Port. Will he make sure that HMIP is no longer under-resourced and that there is independent monitoring at HMIP laboratories so that the public, industry and local authorities have confidence that materials such as polychlorinated biphenyls are incinerated by the correct temperature and that no dioxins are formed?

Mr. Trippier

First, I have absolute confidence in HMIP. I am very proud that the Government set up that inspectorate and I find it deplorable that the Opposition lose no opportunity to talk it down and sell it short because of the work that it is trying to do. The integrated pollution control proposals in the Environmental Protection Bill will meet the concerns of the hon. Gentleman. They give additional responsibilities and duties to HMIP, and I know that the inspectorate is up to the task. It is wrong for the hon. Gentleman to suggest that a business such as Rechem, which is fully licensed and approved and regularly visited by HMIP inspectors, is not doing its job properly.

Mr. Wardell

I did not say that.

Mr. Trippier

No, but the hon. Gentleman gave that impression. As the company has been properly licensed and approved and regularly inspected, I can give that confidence to the hon. Gentleman and to the House.

Mr. Churchill

Following the environmental catastrophe involving the conflagration of millions of car tyres in Canada, will my hon. Friend issue instructions to Her Majesty's inspectors immediately to reassess critically any similar environmental disasters waiting to happen?

Mr. Trippier

I shall certainly draw that to the attention of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution which I am sure has looked carefully at the appalling incident in Canada. My hon. Friend is right to draw the House's attention to that. The very tough measures in the Environmental Protection Bill will cover that contingency, but I am happy to draw my hon. Friend's specific point to the attention of the inspectorate.