HC Deb 27 April 1981 vol 3 cc332-3W
Mr. Haynes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether, in view of the specialist expertise of the Alkali Inspectorate, he will take steps to use its staff as the nucleus of a pollution inspectorate with officers based at individual factories;

(2) if he will take steps to implement the recommendations of the fifth report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution.

Mr. King

The Government are considering the recommendations of the fifth report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution, including those concerning a unified pollution inspectorate based on the Alkali Inspectorate. The Government will respond to these recommendations as soon as practicable.

Mr. Haynes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will reconsider the decision to merge the Alkali Inspectorate with Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate.

(2) if he is satisfied that the merging of the Alkali Inspectorate with Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate will provide adequate resources for the control of air pollution;

(3) if he will make a statement on the effect of the merging of the Alkali Inspectorate and Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate on promotion prospects for the staff involved.

Mr. King

I understand that the Health and Safety Commission is currently reviewing the organisation of all the executive's inspectorates. No decisions have yet been taken. As a Minister responsible for policy in some of the areas affected, the Secretary of State will wish to be satisfied that any new arrangements provide for proper resources to be deployed in the carrying out of those functions. The effects of any reorganisation on conditions

Identifiable exports of nuclear equipment
Tonnes
1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980
(1) Equipment for the recycling of irradiated nuclear fuels a a a a 4.5
(2) Particle accelerators 34 2 30 33 1 3 9
(3) Electrical appliances and apparatus specially designed for the separation of irradiated nuclear fuels, for the treatment of radioactive waste, or for the recycling of irradiated nuclear fuels * * 1 *

Source:

Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, SITC(R2) Sub-group 718.7 and Items 728.48 (part), 778.85. and 778.86 (part), and corresponding items for earlier years.

Notes:

(a) included with nuclear reactors before 1978

(b) details by quantity of exports of nuclear reactors and equipment are not available for publication. The value—in £ million, fob—of these exports has been: 1963, 1.7; 1964,4.6; 1965, 0.8; 1966, 0.6; 1967, 2.3;1968, 1.4; 1969, 1.0; 1970, 0.9; 1971, 1.8; 1972, 1.7; 1973, 2.1; 1974, 2.9; 1975, 2.3;1976, 1.4; 1977, 5.7; 1978, 2.6; 1979, 5.4; 1980, 9.4.