Written question asked by Malcolm Moss (Conservative) on Monday, 27 March 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 29 March 2006. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 April 2006 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Soil Guideline Values

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 22 March 2006, Official Report, column 444W, on soil guideline values, when officials from her Department met officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister over the last 12 months to discuss the issue; what meetings are planned for the next six months (a) with and (b) without representatives of the Environment Agency and the Health Protection Agency; and when she expects to come to a decision regarding soil guideline values for the compound benzo(a) pyrene.

Answer: My officials are following up on the work of the Soil Guideline Values Task Force. Other Departments and Agencies are and will be involved at the appropriate time. A meeting was held recently which ODPM officials were unable to attend. They attended a technical workshop of the Task Force on 27 March. There will be further meeting opportunities on the follow-up work, with any appropriate attendance by other organisations.

Secondary information