§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the measures that he is taking to ensure that operators who use landfill are held to account for any subsequent pollution of domestic and other water.
§ Mr. AtkinsSince 1976 active landfill sites have required licences under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. The purpose of these licences includes ensuring that the activities to which the licence relates do not cause pollution of water. Licences are granted by the waste regulation authority for the area, which is required by statute to consult the National Rivers Authority or, in Scotland, the river purification authority. As the then Minister for the Environment and Countryside announced on 29 November,Official Report, column 384, we intend to bring new waste management licensing regulations into force in May 1994. These regulations will strengthen the powers of waste regulation authorities to protect the environment. The Government is currently reviewing the arrangements for dealing with contaminated land and the related liabilities. As I announced on 8 March, Official Report, column 110, we have published a consultation paper, "Paying for our Past", as part of that review.