HC Deb 22 March 1994 vol 240 c124W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations Her Majesty's Government have received from(a) Bolivian citizens, (b) the Bolivian Government or (c) non-governmental organisations in regard to the local pollution effects in Oruro in the Bolivian Andes arising from the toxic slag exported to the Funestano processing plant from the Capper Pass smelter in Humberside between October 1992 and March 1993.

Mr. Atkins

No Bolivian citizens have made representations to Her Majesty's Government. The Bolivian Government sought clarification of Bolivian newspaper reports from the British Government in May 1993 in the light of complaints from Greenpeace. In response, our chargé d'affaires met officials of the Bolivian Ministry of External Affairs on 2 June 1993 and confirmed the export had been in accordance with the United Kingdom law and procedures.

Christian Aid expressed concern at the export of wastes to Bolivia in a letter to the President of the Board of Trade on 10 June 1993. The Government have also received a number of representations from Greenpeace.