§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the dumping by British Coal of solid sludge and liquid waste into the sea and on the development of alternatives to sea dumping; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonLicences for the disposal at sea of colliery waste are granted only where practical land-based means of disposal are not available. In particular, the sea disposal of spoil by tipping on Durham beaches creates an environmental problem and I am anxious to see it stopped as soon as possible. As a condition of the sea disposal licence issued by the Ministry, British Coal has reassessed the availability and cost of disposal of this waste on land in the area, by analysing a range of options.
I am now asking British Coal to study in more detail the land-based options already analysed which appear to merit further work, and to report to me. I intend this to provide the Ministry with a basis for a final decision on whether a practicable and environmentally preferable alternative to sea disposal exists.
Liquid colliery waste which is discharged to sea across Durham beaches is subject to control by the Northumbrian water authority. I consider, with the support of the authority, that it would be in the interests of protection of the land and marine environments for British Coal's more detailed studies to incorporate an assessment of the scope for disposal of these tailings on land in an environmentally satisfactory way. I am pleased that British Coal is prepared to take on this further assessment.