HC Deb 20 June 1973 vol 858 cc114-5W
31. Mr. Pavitt

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what publicity he has given to his anti-pollution measures to collect mercury cell hearing aid batteries which are discarded by the users; how much has been spent on this publicity; when the scheme was announced; and what results there have been to the latest convenient date.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

Publicity for existing schemes of collection through the National Health Service, through hearing aid clubs or through retail outlets is a matter for the organisers of such schemes. Detailed statistics about their success are not collected by my Department but I understand that about 40,000 batteries have been recovered under the National Health Service scheme introduced in 1972 to recover batteries issued to children under the Health Service.