§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 19 December,Official Report, column 126, if he will give the length of time the vacant posts in Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution have remained vacant, details of all posts on the establishment created within the past 12 months and the breakdown of field work inspection staff and support staff; what information he has on the salary scales applicable in private industry and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for similar levels of work.
§ Mr. TrippierWhen HMIP was established there were 66 vacancies. Since then the staff complement has been increased by 37 posts, 13 announced in December 1988, three in January 1989 and 21 with effect from 2 October 1989. Allowing for the transfer in 1988 of 11 posts to a policy division there are currently 41 vacancies and recruitment competitions are being conducted to fill them. HMIP has 85 field inspectors supported by 29 administrative staff. The biennial remuneration survey of the Royal Society of Chemistry, carried out in January 1988, gave the income for the upper quartile of about £17,000 for members of the society at comparable levels to recruitment grade pollution inspectors. The current recruitment competition for pollution inspectors offers salaries ranging from £18,485 to £24,075, up to £2,835 higher in London.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he intends to introduce to ensure effective enforcement of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 including regulations.
§ Mr. TrippierThe Department is preparing a consultation paper to be issued in the spring.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to review the salary structure of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.
§ Mr. TrippierThe salary structure for professional staff in Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has been reviewed recently, and this has resulted in the substantial salary increases being offered in the current recruitment drive for pollution inspectors. The position will be kept under review.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what system has been agreed for the frequency of inspection of works subject to Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution control; and if he will publish the programme for inspection.
§ Mr. TrippierTargets for inspection of works subject to control by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution are set586W annually according to management's assessment of regulation requirements and priorities. Details of HMIP's inspection programme for 1989–90 are set out in the Department's management information system return (MINIS 10), which is available in the Library of the House.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish and when is the closing date for the public consultation exercise for the regulations to be introduced under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989.
§ Mr. TrippierThe enforcement of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 will be a matter for the waste regulation authorities. Regulations to implement the provisions of the Act will be laid as soon as possible after consultation with interested parties.