§ Mr. McCuskerTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, further to his written answer to the hon. Member for Upper Bann, 25 April,Official Report, column 483, he will list the principal statutory responsibilities of the Northern Ireland Departments of Agriculture, Environment and Economic Development, for installations affecting the flow in a particular water course for water abstractions and for health and safety at work considerations arising from the operation of such turbines.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe information requested is as follows:
- (i) If the installation of any structure is likely to affect the flow of water in any particular watercourse, the consent of the Department of Agriculture is required in accordance with article 32 and schedule 6 of the Drainage (NI) Order 1973. The Fisheries Act (NI) 1966 contains requirements to provide and maintain fish passes in dams constructed, re-built, reinstated or heightened since 1842; and to close mill sluices for 24-hour periods at weekends or when mills are not in use.
- (ii) The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has power under section 14 of the Water Act (NI) 1972 to make regulations to control the abstraction of water from waterways if it is considered expedient to do so. No such regulations have yet been made.
- (iii) Where turbines form part of an undertaking for which the Department of Economic Development is the enforcing authority for health and safety at work legislation, the principal health and safety enactments which apply to the operation of turbines are the Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978 and the Factories Act (NI) 1965.
Table 1: Non industrial staff at headquarters and regions at 31 March 1988 and 31 March 1989 At 31 March Housing and planning Technical services and direct labour organisation Finance Personnel and management services and information technology Information and Secretariat Total Belfast 1988 494 253 23 56 3 829 1989 516 262 23 49 3 853 North East 1988 277 84 12 23 1 397 1989 281 91 11 19 1 403 North West 1988 278 95 9 25 2 409 1989 269 88 12 27 2 398 South 1988 258 97 13 28 2 398