§ 3.23 p.m.
VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDSMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to limit or prohibit the use of detergents less than four-fifths of whose materials are broken down to inert matter by natural biological action in drainage or sewerage systems.]
784§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LORD KENNET)My Lords, two years ago the manufacturers undertook to include in domestic detergents for use in the United Kingdom a new material that could more readily be broken down. The Ninth Progress Report of the Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents shows that removals of detergent up to 90 per cent. are now being achieved at sewage treatment works. This compares with the 65 per cent. achieved before the introduction of the new material. In this situation my right honourable friend is not convinced that any further prohibition is needed.
VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDSMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether he will see if this magnificent progress, with which we are all pleased, can be pushed even further? And may I ask him whether he does not consider that this should be taken just as far as it can be, in that it is the most unpleasant possible method of dealing with detergents to be forced to drink them and thus take in one another's washing.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I do not think anybody is forced to drink detergent. The Standing Technical Committee which I mentioned, which was appointed by a previous Minister of Housing, is in continuous touch with the Confederation of British Industry about this matter—who, I may say, are very good on this front—and we can be certain that such advance as is technically possible will be achieved in a reasonable period of months after relevant discussion.