Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Walley’s Quarry: Odorous Emissions

Tuesday 19 October 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Aaron Bell asked the Minister about discussions on the impact of odorous emissions from Walley's Quarry on public health.
  • The Minister praised Aaron Bell for his ongoing efforts to address the issue of Walley's Quarry and its impact on constituents.
  • The Minister assured Bell that the Environment Agency is taking the situation seriously and has revised its regulatory approach to address the emissions effectively.

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Questions & Answers

Q1 Aaron Bell
NHS Environment
Context

The ongoing odorous emissions from Walley's Quarry in Newcastle-under-Lyme have caused public health concerns, both short-term and long-term.

Question

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the (a) short-term and (b) long-term impact on public health of the ongoing odorous emissions from Walley's Quarry in Newcastle-under-Lyme?

Answer from Maggie Throup

I commend my hon. Friend for his tenacity on the issue of Walley's Quarry and for continuing to stand up for his constituents. As part of the multi-agency response, the UK Health Security Agency provides expertise and support to the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. On 4 May, the Secretary of State took appropriate action, writing to the Environment Agency, which regulates the landfill operation, and urging it to use its regulatory and enforcement powers over Walley's Quarry Ltd to resolve the problems at the site.

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Q2 Aaron Bell
NHS Environment
Context

The ongoing public health emergency in Newcastle-under-Lyme due to odorous emissions has caused significant distress among constituents.

Question

I welcome the Minister to her place. This ongoing public health emergency in Newcastle-under-Lyme has been a real trial for my constituents. Does she agree that in future the Environment Agency will need to take into account the effects on public health—both physical and mental health—of odorous emissions and the gases that escape from landfills, so that no other town has to go through what we have in the last year?

Answer from Maggie Throup

I assure my hon. Friend that the Environment Agency takes the situation very seriously and is working with the operators of the site to address it as quickly and effectively as possible. I am sure that he will be pleased to learn that the Environment Agency has re-evaluated its regulatory approach following the outcome of the judicial review, and on 14 October published its plan to reduce the levels of hydrogen sulphide emissions at the site.

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