HL Deb 21 July 1970 vol 311 cc830-1
LORD GARNSWORTHY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are able to state when the Report of the Working Party jointly appointed by the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government "to consider what further encouragement can be given to use waste as 'fill' for road building" is expected.]

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, it is too early to say when the Working Party will be able to conclude their work.

LORD GARNSWORTHY

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply may I ask how frequently the Working Party meets and whether they will continue to meet daring the Parliamentary Recess?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, when the Working Party meet is up to themselves. They have met twice, and my information is that they will meet again in the next three weeks.

LORD GARNSWORTHY

My Lords may I ask whether the noble Lord thinks that this matter is receiving the urgent consideration that it ought to receive? May I further ask that when the noble Lord replies to that question—which I raise because the Working Party has been set up for some few weeks—he will give some indication of what industries have been invited to submit information for the consideration of the Working Party? Furthermore, can he give us any indication of how many industries have agreed to supply information?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, I cannot accept that the Working Party have not made satisfactory progress. It is a very technical subject. They were appointed only last April and in a matter of this kind that is not a long time. On the question of with whom they have consulted, I can say that they have been approached by the Committee for Environmental Conservation who have been asked whether they wish to advise the Working Party on what interests them. The Working Party have themselves approached the following bodies for information: The Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors, the British Quarry and Slag Federation, the National Coal Board, the British Railways Board and the local authority associations concerned. The china clay industry has also been approached.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord to draw the attention of the Working Party to the work on the pipelining, and the critical cost advantage to be had thereby, which is being done by the British Hydromechanics Research Association?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, I am sure that the noble Lord's words will be passed on to the Working Party.