HC Deb 23 May 1980 vol 985 cc472-4W
Dr. Roger Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give urgent consideration to the purchase of more sensitive mass spectrometers from the United States of America that will be able to detect dioxin levels in 2,4,5-T down to a few parts per trillion.

Mr. David Mitchell

Mass spectrometers and gas-liquid chromatographs capable of detecting dioxin (TCDD) in 2,4,5-T and its formulations at the parts per billion—parts per thousand million—level are already in use at the Laboratory of the Government Chemist. The technique of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry has been used for detecting dioxin in environmental samples—water, grass, soil and so on—at parts per trillion—parts per million million—levels, but the methods used for this purpose are not applicable to the analysis of formulated products.

DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY—NET SHORTFALL OF STAFF
Grade 1 April 1979 1 April 1980
Clerical Assistant … … … … … … –22 –66
Clerical Officer … … … … … … +40 –47
Executive Officer … … … … … … +22 –12
Other Administration Group Grade … … … +11 +4
Open Structure
Secretarial Category Grades … … … … –45 —1
Accountants … … … … … … –19 –15
Economists … … … … … … –4 –2
Information Grades … … … … … –9 –7
Legal Grades … … … … … … — –6
Professional and Technology Grades … … … — +2
Scientific Grades … … … … … –14 +25
Statisticians … … … … … … — –7
Other non-industrials … … … … … –4 –45
Industrials … … … … … … –16 –10
–60 –187
Geographical Region
South East economic planning region … … … –22 –145
South West economic planning region … … … –3 —
West Midlands economic planning region … … –6 —
East Midlands … … … … … … –6 —
Yorkshire and Humberside economic planning region … –3 —
North economic planning region … … … … –2 —
Scottish economic planning region … … … — –12
Welsh economic planning region … … … … –18 –30
–60 –187

Mr. Wrigglesworth

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the number of staff in post on 1 April in his Department.

Mr. David Mitchell

The total of staff in post in my Department on 1 April was 9,143. This includes some 3,800 staff

The applicability of new or improved instrumentation to solve problems of this kind is constantly reviewed.