§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his previous answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, Official Report, 31 January 1979, c. 451–2, he will make a further statement about Dr. Barltrop's membership of his working party to review the overall effect on health of environmental lead.
§ Mr. MoyleI am glad to be able to say that the decision taken by the inspector at the M25 Leatherhead interchange inquiry, which was the basis of my hon. Friend's question to me on 31 January 1979, has been reversed.—[Vol. 961, c.451–2.] At the resumption of the inquiry on 12 February the inspector said that he refuted most strongly any inference which might have been drawn at the time of his original decision to the effect that he was questioning the professional integrity of Dr. Barltrop on the objectiveness of any advice which he would have given to the inquiry. The inspector announced that he had invited Dr. Barltrop to appear at the inquiry to advise him as originally intended, and that Dr. Barltrop had accepted. I am equally happy that Dr. Barltrop should continue to serve as a member of the working party on lead which is preparing advice for us.