§ Mr. Andersonasked the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food how many chicken manure dehydration plants have been ordered to close within the past 18 months; and in which local authority areas.
§ Mr. BishopThis information is not recorded centrally. My Department has no powers to order the closure of such plants and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has no information about the extent to which such closures may have resulted from proceedings instituted by local authorities under the Public Health Act 1936. The responsibility for instituting such proceedings rests entirely with local authorities themselves.