HC Deb 26 February 1990 vol 168 cc10-1
17. Sir Trevor Skeet

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what encouragement his Department has given to the development of landfill gas schemes.

21. Sir George Young

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what encouragement his Department has given to the development of landfill gas schemes.

Mr. Peter Morrison

My Department took the lead in exploring the potential of landfill gas and has spent some £2 million on research, development and demonstration projects to encourage its exploitation as a fuel.

Sir Trevor Skeet

Does my right hon. Friend agree that pouring rubbish into large excavations in the fields owned by the London Brick Company and in other parts of the country will result in a great advantage to the environment? Is he aware that, although this source will contribute greatly to electricity production, a hazard exists and if houses are built on the sites, strict regulations, which I believe already exist, must be observed to ensure that they are protected?

Mr. Morrison

I agree with my hon. Friend about the significant advantages to be gained from landfill gas. I am delighted that about 50 of the 300 non-fossil fuel obligation applications relate to landfill gas. I agree that the correct regulations must be taken into account both when the gas is used and afterwards.

Sir George Young

Although, on the face of it, this seems an unlikely energy source, is it used overseas for useful purposes?

Mr. Morrison

In short, yes. I will provide my hon. Friend with the detail if he wishes.

Mr. Rogers

Does the Minister accept that the putrefaction processes involved in the generation of gas in landfill sites lead to considerable contamination of groundwater in many sites? In conjunction with the projects that his Department runs, will he ask the Department of the Environment to consider the impact of landfill sites on the general environment?

Mr. Morrison

The hon. Gentleman rightly points to the environmental aspects of landfill gas. That is why it is important to carry out a great deal of research and development. I should have hoped that the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues would welcome the initiatives that have been taken, not least because such projects involve recycling and contribute greatly to tackling the greenhouse effect.