§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recomendations his Department has made to Barnet council for dealing with contamination of land at Coppetts wood, Finchley; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisMy Department has sent to the council a report of the testing of Coppett's wood site. The report includes recommendations for the treatment of the land and the Department at present awaits the council's response.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what future meetings he plans to hold with representatives of Barnet council in connection with contamination of land at Coppett's wood, Finchley.
§ Mr. NorrisNone is presently planned. The Department awaits the council's response to the report of the soil test.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a list of all correspondence since January 1988 between his Department and the London borough of Barnet relating to(a) issuing of exchange land certificates in connection with the widening of the North Circular Road, east of Falloden way and (b) condition and possible contamination of land at Coppetts wood in Finchley; what was the date of each piece of correspondence; who was the sender and recipient in each case; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisThe following is a list of correspondence between the Department of Transport and the London borough of Barnet since 1988 on(a) issues relating to the issuing of exchange land certificates for the east of Falloden way scheme.
467W(b) List of correspondence between the Department of Transport and the London borough of Barnet in connection with discovery of contaminated soil on exchange land (Coppetts wood) for East of Falloden way scheme.
Date Sender Recipient Topic 13 October 1992 Department of Transport Consultants London Borough of Barnet Comment on letter from Dr. Natelson 21 October 1992 London Borough of Barnet Department of Transport Consultants Confirms preliminary soil tests carried out; awaiting results 11 January 1993 London Borough of Barnet Department of Transport Preliminary tests and evidence of contamination 27 January 1993 Department of Transport London Borough of Barnet Agree to more extensive soil tests 26 February 1993 Department of Transport Consultants London Borough of Barnet Confirmation immediate remedial measures in hand 14 April 1993 Department of Transport London Borough of Barnet Confirmation remedial measures nearing completion 26 April 1993 Department of Transport London Borough of Barnet Details of soil investigations to be undertaken by Frank Graham and Partners and Foundation and Exploration Services Ltd. in June 1993 8 November 1993 London Borough of Barnet Department of Transport Enquiry of progress on draft August soil report 23 November 1993 Department of Transport London Borough of Barnet Copies of report forwarded for comment on recommended remedial treatment The position regarding the treatment of contamination remains as stated in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment in January, except that, regrettably, the date of discovery of contamination supplied by my Department and quoted by him should have been October 1992 and not June 1993. Research into the correspondence has produced a reference to a report dated 1988, a copy of which was sent to my Department's consultants after the contamination was reported in 1992.