HC Deb 12 January 1987 vol 108 cc40-1W
Dr. Michael Clark

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the appointment of a director for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution; what technical qualifications he proposes to require of the new director; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ridley

[pursuant to the reply, 1 December 1986, c. 523]: I announced the Government's decision to form Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution within my Department and the Welsh Office on 7 August 1986 and, on 3 December, I placed in the Library of the House copies of the scrutiny report on Government pollution and safety inspection together with the Departments' action plan on that report. I am now able to announce the name of the director designate of the new inspectorate.

I have decided that the inspectorate should be headed, initially, by an experienced senior administrator and I am therefore appointing Mr. Brian Ponsford who is currently the director of waste disposal in my Department, to be the director of the inspectorate with effect from 1 April. Mr. Ponsford will be supported by a chief inspector, radioactive substances and by a chief inspector, air, water and wastes.

These appointments will be made with the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. When the initial managerial and organisational tasks of setting the inspectorate up have been completed, it is our intention that subsequent appointments to head the inspectorate should be made after open competition.

I am presently consulting interested bodies about detailed plans for the inspectorate's organisation and functions.

I believe that the formation of the inspectorate will result in clearer and stronger enironmental control, in taxpayers receiving better value for their money than from the present disperate arrangements, and in industry benefiting from the co-ordinated approach which the inspectorate will have the capacity to develop.

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