§ Mr. DixonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to provide a substantive response to the complaints made to him in November 1988 about the activities of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in relation to Monkton cokeworks, Hebburn.
§ Mr. TrippierThe Department received a letter from the environment services officer of South Tyneside metropolitan borough council on 23 November 1988 expressing the concern of the council's environmental health and control committee about Monkton cokeworks. This received a full and detailed reply on 10 February 1989. If the hon. Member wishes to refer me to further correspondence on this matter I shall be happy to look into it.
§ Mr. DixonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why flue gas desulphurisation equipment is not required for battery No. 4, Monkton cokeworks, Hebburn.
§ Mr. TrippierThe fitting of flue-gas desulphurisation equipment has never been part of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's requirements for pollution control of emissions from coke works, nor does the EEC place any requirement on the United Kingdom to control such emissions. The costs involved are considered to be disproportionate to the environmental improvements which would result from the removal of the relatively small quantities of sulphur dioxide. The height of the chimney at the works is sufficient to prevent adverse local effects from any emissions.
§ Mr. DixonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what discussions Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution had with National Smokeless Fuels about the delay in installing cokeside arrestment equipment at battery No. 4, Monkton cokeworks, Hebburn;
(2) what factors Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution took into account when deciding not to take legal action against National Smokeless Fuels for non-installation of cokeside arrestment equipment at battery No. 4, Monkton cokeworks, Hebburn.
§ Mr. TrippierHer Majesty's inspectorate of pollution engaged in a series of meetings with National Smokeless Fuels to discuss the arrestment of dust associated with discharging coke from the ovens at Monkton cokeworks.
101WThese meetings involved management at all levels within the company culminating in a meeting between the chief inspector and the chairman of British Coal. The installation of cokeside arrestment equipment was agreed in principle following the miners' strike although the actual installation was delayed as a result of proving trials of a prototype system at the coke works at Cwm. The equipment was eventually installed and commissioned in 1989.