§ Sir Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in the 12 months to 31 March the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee submitted advice to his Department; and what action was taken by his Department on each occasion as a result of the advice given.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe advice given by the committee is regularly published in its annual report. Its fifth report was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on 4 July 1984, and copies are in the Library. The principal advice in that report was about the control of routine discharges from the Sellafield site of British Nuclear Fuels plc. In November 1984, the chairman wrote to my right hon. Friend endorsing a specific programme of works which would be consistent with the committee's previous advice. That was the programme of works announced by my right hon. Friend on 18 December 1984.
The committee's fifth report recommended the use of a common classification scheme for radioactive wastes, and this has been accepted by the Government and by the industry. It is also intended to publish a radioactive waste management information note giving a general description of the way in which my Department, and the other authorising Departments under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, control discharges of radioactivity from nuclear installations; and this will take account of the committee's general advice on this subject in its fifth report.
In September 1984 the chairman submitted the committee's view about the procedures that should be followed in investigating possible sites for new disposal facilities, and that view was accepted in the revised procedures announced by my right hon. Friend on 24 175W January. That statement also announced publication of the final text of "Disposal facilities on land for low and intermediate-level radioactive wastes: principles for the protection of the human environment", which incorporates the committee's comments on earlier drafts.
In November 1984 the chairman wrote to my right hon. Friend expressing regret about actions by the National Union of Seamen and the Transport and General Workers Union interfering with a research programme designed to investigate the properties of deep-sea sediments. This issue has been discussed by Ministers with the TUC.
In March 1985 the chairman wrote to my right hon. Friend summarising the committee's views on the waste management implications of the fast reactor and we shall be discussing this advice with the other Ministers concerned.
§ Sir Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in the 12 months to 31 March the Black Country Limestone Advisory Panel submitted advice to his Department; and what action was taken by his Department on each occasion as a result of the advice given.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe Black Country Limestone Advisory Panel met five times between 1 April 1984 and 31 March 1985. At each meeting advice was given on
- (a)the specification and conduct of my Department's commissioned research into cost-effective methods of monitoring subsidence, assessing risk and remedial measures;
- (b) the appropriateness of local authority bids in 1984–85 and proposed for 1985–86 for funding of site investigations and remedial works under the derelict land grant scheme; and
- (c) the conduct of investigations of five specific underground workings already under way at 1 April 1984.
In all instances my Department acted by taking note of the panel's advice when seeking further information on proposals, allocating funds and specifying research. Of 14 proposed investigations in 1984–85, further justification was sought on four and subsequently only one was rejected.
§ Sir Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in the 12 months to 31 March the London Housing Staff Commission submitted advice to his Department; and what action was taken by his Department on each occasion as a result of the advice given.
§ Sir George YoungIn the last year the London Housing Staff Commission has not submitted any advice direct to the Secretary of State; its main work has been in advising the London borough of Tower Hamlets and the Greater London council on the interests of staff affected by the forthcoming transfer of GLC housing in Tower Hamlets; in advising staff affected by the various transfer orders made in respect of GLC housing in 45 districts and other London boroughs; and in hearing two appeals from staff under the Greater London Housing (Staff Transfer and Protection) Order 1979.
§ Sir Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in the 12 months to 31 March the New Town Staff Commission submitted advice to his Department; and what action was taken by his Department on each occasion as a result of the advice given.
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§ Sir George YoungIn the course of its work in safeguarding the interests of staff affected by transfer of new town housing to local authorities, the New Towns Staff Commission has made one set of representations to the Secretary of State in 1984–85, which my right hon. Friend is still considering. The commission's main work, however, has been in advising directly the new town corporations and district councils involved in the three housing transfer schemes which took effect on 1 April 1985, and the four further ones under negotiation, and in monitoring the outcome.
§ Sir Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in the 12 months to 31 March each of the nine regional councils for sport and recreation submitted advice to his Department; and what action was taken by his Department on each occasion as a result of the advice given.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneRegional councils for sport and recreation provide a forum for co-ordination and discussion of sport and recreation needs and issues in each region. Their views and advice reach my Department in various formal and informal ways, not least through the Sports Council, on whose relevant committees the regional councils are represented. This is a continuous and wide-ranging process which does not lend itself to a numerical breakdown.
§ Sir Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in the 12 months to 31 March the Property Services Agency Advisory Board submitted advice to his Department; and what action was taken by his Department on each occasion as a result of the advice given.
§ Sir George YoungDuring the 12 months period to 31 March 1985 the Property Services Agency Advisory Board submitted three formal reports to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment covering the agency's image and morale, site supervision and the board's annual report of its activities for 1984. Each of the reports and the main recommendations has been discussed with Ministers and members of the Property Services Agency executive board and action has been taken to follow through the agreed recommendations in consultation with the advisory board.
Ministers and senior management of the agency also frequently consult the advisory board informally on a variety of topics on which the board has provided valuable views and advice.