§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in theOfficial Report the appeals under section 10 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 currently under consideration by his Department; how many decisions have been issued since 27 July; and what steps he is taking to increase the speed of progress.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryFollowing is a list of the appeals currently under consideration showing the dates they were432W first lodged. Three decisions have been issued since 27 July. Internal reorganisation of staff will allow greater priority to be given to these appeals in future, and changes have also been made to the various administrative procedures in order to speed up the decision-making process.
433W
Date Empire Brickworks, Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge, Walsall 1 June 1982 Seal Sands Terminal, Seal Sands, Cleveland 26 June 1984 Empire Brickworks, 51, Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge, Walsall 8 September 1986 Empire Brickworks, 231, Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge, Walsall 8 September 1986 Empire Brickworks, 323, Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge, Walsall 8 September 1986 Empire Brickworks, 324, Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge, Walsall 8 September 1986 East Tilbury (1) East Tilbury, Essex 26 March 1987 Aveley Clay Pit 2 and 3, Sandy Lane, Aveley, Essex 10 July 1987 Auckland Road, Leyton, LWRA 21 July 1987 Charleston Road, Hardley, Hampshire 10 August 1987 Gilbey Road, Grimsby, Humberside 7 September 1987 Old Railway Cutting, Chesterfield Road, Bolsover, Derbyshire 7 December 1987 Unit 3 Hartlepool, Sandgate Industrial Estate, Cleveland 7 December 1987 Springwell Hill, Nether Handley, Sheffield 9 December 1987 Norwood Industrial Estate, Rotherham Road, Killamarsh, Sheffield 3 February 1988 East Tilbury (2), East Tilbury, Essex 18 April 1988 Whinfield Farm, Pennington, Cumbria 23 June 1988 Munnery's Copse, Worthing, West Sussex 27 June 1988 Springwell Hill, Nether Handley, Sheffield 1 August 1988 Unit 10 Eddarbridge Industrial Estate, Cheshire 19 August 1988 Redbournbury Plant, St Albans, Hertfordshire 24 November 1988 Grazebrook Industrial Estate, Stubbers Green Road, Dudley 6 January 1989 Leabrook Road, Wednesbury, Sandwell 10 January 1989 Butterley Hole, Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge, Walsall 6 February 1989 Bakers Hole, Swanscombe, Kent 8 March 1989 Martin Earles No. 1, Cuxton, Kent 8 March 1989 Martin Earles Pit, Cuxton, Kent 8 March 1989 140 Moss Lane, Macclesfield, Cheshire 13 March 1989 Grazebrook Estate (2), Stubbers Green Road, Dudley 4 May 1989 Mucking Wharf, Mucking, Essex 16 May 1989 Offham Quarry, Teston Road, Offham, Kent 19 June 1989 Stangate Quarry, Borough Green, Kent 19 June 1989 Pluckley Brickworks, Chambers Green, Pluckley, Kent 29 June 1989
Date Vineyard Chalkpit, Rainham, Kent 29 June 1989 Stone Pits 5 and 6, Stone, Dartford, Kent 29 June 1989 Stone 1 and Atlas Stone, Stone, Dartford, Kent 29 June 1989 Heathside Farm, Sandyford, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire 3 July 1989 Chesterfield Road, Barlborough, Derbyshire 29 August 1989 Barnett and Beddows, Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge, Walsall 6 September 1989 Moss Hall Farm, Rixton, Warrington, Cheshire 19 September 1989 Moss Hall Farm 2, Rixton, Warrington, Cheshire 19 September 1989 Rough Park Quarry, Mill Lane, Upholland, Lancashire 9 October 1989 Lumm Farm, Lumb Lane, Littlemoss, Droylesden, Greater Manchester 20 October 1989 Halfhead Farm, Shallowford, Stone, Staffordshire 17 November 1989 Bell Terminal, Grangetown, Middlesbrough, Cleveland 20 November 1989 Jolly Farmer Sand Pit, Guildford Road, Runfold, Surrey 21 November 1989 Farnham Sandpit, Alton Road, Farnham, Surrey 8 December 1989
§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what action he intends to take following the identification by Her Majesty's inspectors of pollution of local contamination above background levels by polychorinated biphenyls at Ordnance Survey grid reference numbers(a) NY 5151, (b) NZ 5101, (c) NZ 0151, (d) SE 0101 and (e) TR 3666; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what action he intends to take following the identification by Her Majesty's inspectors of pollution of local contamination levels of dioxins and furans above the established background levels at Ordnance Survey grid reference numbers (a) NY 5101. (b) NZ 5151, (c) SE 0101, (d) SE 0151, (e) SU 5101; (f) TQ 0151; (g) TR 0151; (h) SK 0202 and (i) NT 0301; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-Amory[holding answer 20 December 1989]: The report by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has shown PCBs, dioxins and furans to be ubiquitous in United Kingdom soils. As expected levels are higher where there is a history of heavy industry and urbanisation. I am, however, informed that the levels of these compounds found at the locations mentioned do not pose a direct risk to human health. Further work will concentrate on sampling around those processes having the potential to release significant amounts of these compounds.