CONTROL OF SEWAGE (Hansard, 26 April 1967)

§ Mr. John Cordle (Bournemouth, East and Christchurch)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to deal with the danger to public health caused by lack of control over sewage round the coast-line and the fouling of beaches. This is a matter of urgency and priority and one about which the country as a whole is gravely concerned. The whole nation—indeed, many people outside this country as well—have been shocked and horrified at the pollution of our beaches —and, now, of French beaches, too—with oil from the "Torrey Canyon". The Government claim not to have been inhibited by financial or legal considerations in taking whatever action has been necessary to put the matter right. Unfortunately, both financial and legal considerations have inhibited Governments and local authorities of all political persuasions from taking long overdue action to rid our beaches and coastline of foul, stinking sewage.

I am happy to say that this is not a problem in my constituency, although I say at once that there are many seaside local authorities which are mindful of their duty and which have first-class sewerage schemes to either process their sewage completely on land or to process it and dump it far out to sea. Unfortunately, while they may be exemplary in this matter, their next-door neighbours along the coast, through ignorance, apathy or meanness, may be gaily pumping sewage out untreated so that it fouls the whole stretch of coastline.

As far back as 1953 the Government set up a committee of the Public Health Laboratory Service to look into the health problems of the contamination of beaches and bathing waters by sewage. Six years later that committee's Report was pub- 1510 lished. Its main conclusion was that coastal pollution was not a danger to health. However, the report has been criticised by many medical men since then and by such organisations as the Royal Society of Health and the British Medical Association. I am not competent to pronounce on such technical matters, but as a parent, I know of certain parts of our coastline where I would not permit my children to play, let alone bathe, on the beach because of the heavy concentration of human excreta.

In July, 1960 the then Opposition initiated a debate on the whole problem. The right hon. Member for Fulham (Mr. M. Stewart), now the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, opened the debate by calling for an action programme including the acceptance of a national standard for a decent beach. Replying to the debate, the then Minister of Housing and Local Government admitted that we had many years of neglect to overtake. That was seven years ago and the position today is far from satisfactory.

The Coastal Anti-Pollution League has done tireless and persistent work in trying to clean up our beaches. It sent a questionnaire to coastal local authorities as long ago as 1959. From the replies of 116 authorities, it was clear that a large number of beaches ran a high risk of being fouled by sewage. In 1965, the Minister of Housing and Local Government sent out a similar questionnaire to all coastal authorities. A year later, after the answers had been analysed, he told the Institute of Sewage Purification conference: A majority are satisfactory, but I must say that if a number of these health resorts feel satisfied with their present arrangements as described to me, I certainly am not". The right hon. Gentleman went on to promise that there would be no difficulty about loan sanctions for any coastal sewerage scheme which was demonstrably and urgently needed, provided it was efficiently and economically designed. Only three weeks ago the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government told my hon. Friend the Member for Rye (Mr. Bryant Godman Irvine) that the Minister would continue to urge the need for action on those local authorities which needed to improve their sewerage arrangements.

1511 Having sketched in the background, I will briefly outline the ways in which sewage can be disposed of from a coastal town. The first, and usually the most expensive method is the complete treatment of sewage to Royal Commission standard and discharge of pure effluent into a river or into the sea in the same way as the vast majority of inland authorities treat their sewage. The second method is where really long outfalls are sited, and untreated sewage is discharged at all states of the tide. The third method is where the sewage is sited, partially treated or retained during unfavourable states of the tide and then discharged in short outfalls into the sea.

All these methods are usually satisfactory to a greater or less degree, but some authorities are discharging untreated sewage at all states of the tide either direct on to a beach or through very short out-falls just into the sea. Because of advances in techniques in breaking down sewage, and advances we have learned from the oil men in laying submarine pipelines, there is no reason why any local authority should not be able properly to dispose of the sewage and keep our coastlines clean.

I am convinced, notwithstanding the earlier Government Report, that masses of untreated sewage on our beaches and in our bathing areas are a menace to health. I am reinforced in that view by the fact that many coastal authorities have orders in force under the Public Health (Shellfish) Regulations 1934 and the Public Health (Regulation as to Food) Act, 1907, prohibiting the collection and sale of shellfish due to the pressure of untreated sewage in the area. If it is unhealthy for cockles and whelks, I would have thought that it would be unhealthy for homo sapiens.

My Bill seeks to deal with those few authorities who are unwilling or unable to raise their standards to that of the. majority. It would provide for a national standard of clean beach and offshore water. It would give the Minister power to advise local authorities that their sewage disposal plants were inadequate and, in the last resort, direct them to bring their plants and methods up to an acceptable standard. It seems only wise and proper that until such improvements have been made all beaches that are polluted 1512 or liable to pollution should be required to have warning notices at frequent intervals advising the public that the beaches are potentially dangerous.

I hope and believe that these powers will not be necessary. A dose of good publicity, coupled with some prosecutions under Section 14 of the Public Health Act, 1946, might have the desired effect, and none would be happier than myself if it had. But the selfish few are letting down the responsible many. We have been talking about the problem for far too long. The Minister said last year: We cannot tolerate this disgrace to our beaches any longer. It is in that spirit that I beg leave to introduce my Bill.