§ Mrs. Rosie BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department has taken to provide incentives for companies to reduce pollutant output and to penalise those who fail to comply with current regulations governing the output of industrial waste.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-Amory[holding answer 9 March 1990]: Companies whose processes pollute the environment are expected to meet the full costs of the measures which the regulatory authorities require them to take in order to control the level of their emissions or discharges. Failure to comply is punishable by law, and offenders may face unlimited fines in the higher courts under provisions contained in the new Environmental Protection Bill.