PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
REGISTERS OF CONTAMINATED LAND (18 April 1995)

That this House notes that section 143 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which would have established public registers of information regarding land which may be contaminated has not been brought into force; is concerned that the present Environment Bill will replace this provision with one that will require only limited information to be placed on registers; further notes that this could mean, for instance, that unsuspecting housebuyers may not know that they are purchasing property that is situated on potentially contaminated land such as an old landfill site or that nearby residents may be denied information about contaminated land in their area; agrees with the words of the then Junior Environment Minister, the honourable Member for Banbury, when he stated on 8th May 1991, on publication of the Government's consultation paper on contaminated land registers, 'that such information is essential when there is concern over the threats to public health and the environment'; and declares its belief that contaminated land registers ought to contain full information about actual and potentially contaminated land and also about any remedial action taken (as details of such action will not only be important to the general public, but also particularly to owners and potential developers as it will prevent land on which remedial action has been taken from remaining blighted).

Sponsored by:
Cynog Dafis (Plaid Cymru)