HL Deb 12 May 1970 vol 310 cc487-8
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 the date of the first meeting of the Working Party jointly appointed by the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Local Government "to consider what further encouragement can be given to use waste as 'fill' for road building"; and when is it expected they will report their findings.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LORD KENNET)

My Lords, the first meeting will be held before the end of the month. It is too early to say how long it will take the Working Party to complete their task.

LORD GARNSWORTHY

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask if he is in a position to state what is the composition of the Working Party and, in particular, whether the Treasury will be represented in order that any possible saving to the taxpayer may be fully assessed?

LORD KENNET

My Lords, the composition of the Working Party is from the appropriate Departments of State, and the Treasury, as is customary in such cases, will be kept closely in touch.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, since this is a question which concerns not only the appropriate Departments of State but also local authorities, amenity societies and many of Her Majesty's citizens, can the noble Lord give us an assurance that in due time the report of this Working Party will be published?

LORD KENNET

My Lords, I cannot give that assurance before seeing the report. But I would remind the noble Lord and the House that the whole purpose of the operation is to find means of achieving amenity ends by using more of this "fill" for road construction.

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, would the noble Lord consider setting up a Working Party to inquire into alternative ways of using this waste material, such, for example, as artificial aggregates for making concrete?

LORD KENNET

My Lords, the Government have all these possibilities closely under review, but at the moment I am not sure that a Working Party would be the right way to go about it.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, could not the final curtain be drawn upon the Aberfan disaster by the removal of these slag heaps, once and for all, and their conversion to some useful purpose, such as widening the M.4 motorway and other road schemes?

LORD KENNET

My Lords, the trouble is that there is so much more in these waste tips than could ever be needed for any conceivable road programme.

LORD GARNSWORTHY

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend to endeavour to secure that the Working Party deal with this matter as one of urgency? And would he recognise that an early report would be a quite outstanding contribution in the present European Conservation Year?

LORD KENNET

Yes, my Lords.

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