HC Deb 13 March 1956 vol 550 cc221-2
44. Mr. Dodds

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what progress has been made in the experiments at the Stevenage research station into the reaction of fish to detergents.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works (Mr. J. R. Bevins)

The Water Pollution Research Laboratory has shown that the toxic effect of synthetic detergents on fish is very small in the concentrations at present found in British rivers. Detergents tend, however, to reduce the rate at which water dissolves oxygen from the air. Research on this matter is continuing.

Mr. Dodds

From the facts that have been established, does this not show that anglers should be very worried about housewives using detergents and the effects of this on the fish?

Mr. Bevins

While my noble Friend is worried about the situation of the anglers, he is even more worried about the situation of the fish. That is why this research is going on.