§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health regarding the safety of CCA pressure-treated wood. [69627]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThe Department has discussed the safety of CCA pressure-treated wood with officials from the Department of Health. We have also discussed the issue with DTI who represent the views of the Construction Industry; and with HSE who carried out a risk assessment of CCA products used to treat wood, under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986.
In the UK wood preservatives are covered by the Control of Pesticide Regulations, and the Health and Safety Executive lead on such non-agricultural pesticides. CCA is approved for the pre-treatment of timber by pressure impregnation at industrial sites. This follows the 653W advice to Ministers from the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) that such products do not present any risk to human health or the environment.
Recently the EU Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment advised that there was a small risk to children from the use of CCA treated wood in playground equipment. Applying the precautionary principle, the Commission have subsequently drawn up proposals under the Marketing and Use Directive, which would prevent the use of CCA treated wood, with some exceptions such as for railway sleepers and electricity and telephone poles. This would prevent its use in playground equipment.
§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations her Department has received regarding the number of playgrounds using CCA pressure-treated wood. [69626]
§ Mr. Ivan Lewis[holding answer 17 July 2002]: The Department has not received any representations regarding the number of playgrounds using CCA pressure-treated wood. However Copper Chrome Arsenic (CCA) pressure-treated wood preservative is the most common wood preservative for softwoods which are often used externally and have been used extensively in playgrounds. There are alternative materials which can be used in place of CCA treated wood in playground equipment.
2001–02 Allocations Standard Spending Assessment Mental Health Grant Training Support Programme Children's services Grant Promoting Independence Grant £000s £000s £000s £000s £000s Inner London City of London 2,349 29 15 83 70 Camden 68,067 1,218 201 3,372 1,859 Greenwich 63,824 1,067 315 3,032 1,762 Hackney 77,171 1,501 198 4,526 1,914 Hammersmith & Fulham 51,577 1,056 264 2,878 1,331 Islington 67,954 1,039 229 4,011 1,700 Kensington & Chelsea 49,290 891 195 2,390 1,324 Lambeth 92,374 1,563 285 6,034 2,160 Lewisham 75,867 1,551 244 4,216 1,971 Southwark 87,510 1,644 345 5,095 2,116 Tower Hamlets 75,331 1,337 273 3,956 1,875 Wandsworth 74,746 1,216 312 3,370 2,117 Westminster 71,692 1,088 355 3,216 1,979 Outer London Barking & Dagenham 44,148 622 151 1,640 1,315 Barnet 63,692 885 283 2,067 2,060 Bexley 38,251 599 195 1,203 1,246 Brent 61,747 1,068 228 3,448 1,612 Bromley 49,695 706 184 1,477 1,687 Croydon 61,631 1,030 238 2,780 1,764 Ealing 68,086 1,131 251 3,231 1,886 Enfield 56,839 863 189 2,097 1,757 Haringey 61,138 1071 247 3,723 1,534 Harrow 39,300 597 274 1,162 1,298 Havering 38,514 584 210 1,013 1,328 Hillingdon 44,054 783 296 1,616 1,409 Hounslow 45,783 725 210 1,953 1,333 Kingston upon Thames 23,387 515 214 767 772 Merton 35,052 868 201 1,300 1,064 Newham 68,797 1,561 257 3,951 1,717 Redbridge 45,514 638 180 1,434 1,472 Richmond upon Thames 30,779 482 200 804 1,061 Sutton 31.174 466 176 983 1,015 Waltham Forest 56,900 918 305 2,561 1,623