§ Mr. A. Cecil WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to Northern Ireland.
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§ Mr. AtkinsLegislation broadly equivalent to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is being introduced in Northern Ireland by a series of Orders in Council.
An Order in Council containing enabling powers to deal with genetically modified organisms similar to the provisions in part VI of the Act was made in July 1991 and will come into operation by means of a commencement order once the necessary regulations enacting its provisions have been finalised.
A further Order in Council containing provisions on litter equivalent to those in part IV of the Act will shortly be laid before Parliament and should become operative early in 1994.
I have already announced my plans for two further Orders in Council to introduce provisions on air pollution and waste management control respectively, similar to those in parts I and II of the Act. These are now being prepared. I hope to lay both draft orders before Parliament by the end of 1994.