HC Deb 04 February 1987 vol 109 cc725-7W
51. Mr. Ray Powell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next intends meeting colleagues in the European Economic Community to discuss atmospheric and marine pollution and methods of reducing it.

Mr. Waldegrave

I shall be attending an informal meeting of European Community Ministers on 13 February. It is expected that the Belgian presidency will put atmospheric pollution on the agenda.

52. Mr. Thurnham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the Government's current plans to deal with pollution.

Mr. Waldegrave

We place a high priority on preserving and enhancing the quality of our environment, which we believe to be fully compatible with economic growth. We are taking a number of measures to deal with pollution in the United Kingdom and abroad. They include the following.

We are setting up a new unified pollution inspetorate. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution will come into being on 1 April. Its objectives will be to develop a more coherent approach to the control of industrial emissions and discharges to air, water or land in England and Wales and to provide advice that will help the other pollution control authorities to carry out their statutory responsibilities.

To tackle the problem of acid rain, we have authorised the CEGB to retrofit 6,000 MW of existing generating capacity with flue gas desulphurisation equipment. Any future coal-fired power stations will he required to be fitted with low acid-technology.

We propose new comprehensive legislation covering all aspects of industrial air pollution, as described in our recent consultation paper.

Our consultation paper "The Water Environment: The next Steps" set out the Government's proposals for maintaining standards of environmental protection after privatisation of the water industry. These include stronger safeguards against accidental pollution and statutory quality objectives and standards set by the Secretary of State. The new water pollution inspection function envisaged there is being set up as part of HMIP.

On anti-fouling paints, we will continue to exert pressure on the manufacturers and users of paints containing tributyl tin (TBT). Unless there is a marked improvement in TBT levels in sensitive waters, further action may have to be taken; this could include a ban on their use.

We have reached an agreement with the Paintmakers' Association of Great Britain, under which lead ceased to be added by member companies to white gloss, primer and undercoat paints from January 1986; and member companies will cease to add lead to all coloured gloss paints and varnishes from July 1987. We have tabled a memorandum at the EC's Environment Council calling for tighter controls on lead in paint in all member states and we shall be pursuing this within the Community.

We are taking a number of measures, both in the European Community and here in the United Kingdom, to encourage the sale and use of unleaded petrol and cars capable of running on it. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced his intention to create a tax differential in favour of unleaded petrol to offset its higher production costs.

We shall be playing a full part in European Year of the Environment. In that connection, we are sponsoring the international pollution abatement fair and conference in April. We shall continue to support the pollution abatement technology award scheme and the new Europewide scheme which is modelled on it.

We are also looking at ways in which the development of pollution abatement technology can be encouraged.

British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. is undertaking a multi-million pound capital programme at Sellafield which has already reduced discharges to the environment to one sixth of the levels in 1979; further reductions should be achievable in the 1990s.

Mr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how he intends to recast the Government's proposals for the maintenance of water quality and pollution control under a regime of privatised water authorities, to meet the European Commission's four criteria, set out by the Environment Commissioner in the European Parliament on 10 December 1986.

Mr. John Patten

When our detailed proposals for water privatisation are published in legislation in due course it will be possible for the hon. Member to make judgments upon them.

Mr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on his policy on water privatisation in the light of representations made to him by the Council for the Protection of Rural England about the legal acceptability in European Economic Community terms of the Government's proposals for water pollution control under a privatised regime.

External Finance Limits: Water Authorities
1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–881
Northumbrian 35.8 20.0 20.0 22.0 18.0 2.0
North West 84.0 79.0 87.0 84.5 58.0 49.0
Severn Trent 61.9 66.3 40.0 55.2 7.9 -8.0
Yorkshire 53.4 30.0 34.0 31.0 25.8 19.0
Anglian 87.4 85.0 60.0 46.0 45.7 27.0
Thames -3.0 -10.5 -34.0 -60.0 -92.0 -98.0
Southern 40.7 33.5 23.0 11.0 2.0 -9.0
Wessex 21.7 27.3 16.0 21.0 26.8 21.0
South West 13.8 12.5 11.0 4.9 4.7 .0
Welsh 25.2 23.0 22.6 21.0 17.3 1 13.3
1 Figures for 1987–88 exclude flood defence, except for Welsh water.