HC Deb 05 November 1993 vol 231 c489W
Mr. Burden

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are his plans for market testing or privatisation of the laboratory service of the National Rivers Authority;

(2) what plans he has for the closure of laboratories used by the National Rivers Authority; and what critera are to be used to select laboratories for closure;

(3) if he will list the areas served by each chemical laboratory used by the National Rivers Authority;

(4) what representations his Department has received regarding the timetable of the market-testing exercise for National Rivers Authority laboratories and their reliability of financial information on which their exercise is based;

(5) what internal audit there has been in respect of the liability of financial information relating to the market testing of National Rivers Authority laboratory services; and what were the results of that internal audit;

(6) what assessment he has made of the implications of closing or sharing National Rivers Authority laboratories for the investigation and prosecution of pollution incidents; and what representations he has received from external legal advisers on the subject.

Mr. Yeo

I will write to the hon. Member.