§ Mrs. Helen JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he commissioned consultants Wardell Armstrong to undertake an inquiry into the dangers of mine or stythe gas in the Gateshead area; and what were the circumstances which led him to commission the study. [17974]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordWardell Armstrong was commissioned to undertake a study of methane and other gases from disused coal mines in the autumn of 1993. The research has included consideration of Gateshead as a demonstration area and of stythe, among other gases. The main aims were, however, to examine the extent to which such emissions should be taken into account in planning of land use and the appropriate means of doing so. The focus, therefore, has been national rather than local.
My Department had previously commissioned a series of general reviews of land instability and related geological issues in order to determine whether there was a need to take more account of these in planning. One of these, a review of naturally occurring contaminants, was undertaken by the British Geological Survey. The report indicated that gas problems associated with old mines were sufficiently widespread to merit more detailed consideration. This led directly to the commissioning of the work being undertaken by Wardell Armstrong.
§ Mrs. JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Wardell Armstrong report on the dangers of mine gas was received by his Department; and if he will publish it. [17975]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe final draft of a report by Wardell Armstrong entitled "Methane and other gas emissions from disused coal mines—the planning response" is currently awaited by my Department. It is expected that the report will be published in the summer of 1996.