§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Environment Agency has approved the variation in the operating licence of the Byker Heat Station; and what assessment he has made of the possibility of consequential health effects to the people of Shieldfield, Newcastle Quayside or Lower Heaton. [115502]
§ Mr. Hill[holding answer 21 March 2000]: The application for variation BH 2596 has not been approved. The local Health Authority has been consulted on this application. Further discussions are planned with the Health Authority regarding studies that could be made to investigate health effects from the operation of this process.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what breaches of the present operating license for the Byker Heat Station, Newcastle, have recently been reported to him; and what is the outcome of his investigations. [115501]
§ Mr. Hill[holding answer 21 March 2000]: The records have been checked back to the beginning of 1995. The operator has reported two breaches of the authorisation.
On 30 April 1995, a major grid power failure caused the process to run for 15 minutes without controls in place or monitoring facilities operational. A non-quantified release to air was made during that period. The then regulator HMIP took no action.700WOn 20 February 1997, dry lime powder was released during a road tanker delivery, due to failure of a seal on a hatch. The operator cleaned up the spillage and repaired the seal. No regulatory action was taken by the Environment Agency.