HC Deb 31 October 1989 vol 159 cc119-20W
Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are to be taken to ensure that local authority environmental health departments have sufficient resources and information available to implement effectively the proposed changes to controls over air pollution from industrial sources.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

A joint committee to provide a forum for discussion between Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and local authority environmental health departments was set up at the end of 1988. The secretariat is provided by HMIP's local authority unit which has already begun to consider draft guidance notes on some 20 of the processes to be scheduled for local authority air pollution control. Information exchange on such matters as training is also being developed in the same forum.

As the new system represents a rationalisation and streamlining of local authorities' existing air pollution controls the Government estimated that it would add only £0.5 million to their current expenditure.

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