HL Deb 10 February 1994 vol 551 cc1693-4

3.15 p.m.

The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they propose to publish the report by the National Rivers Authority entitled Disposal of Sheep Dip Waste: Effects on Water Quality; and, if so, when.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (The Earl of Arran)

My Lords, this report was commissioned by the National Rivers Authority and the Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research. I understand that this report will be published on 8th March.

The Countess of Mar

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his reply. It is refreshing to hear a date given instead of the usual "soon". I am also pleased that most of the recommendations of the National Rivers Authority have been taken on board by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Perhaps I may ask the Minister how it will police the correct disposal of sheep dips. While many farmers understand that they must not pour spent sheep dip into rivers, streams and ponds, they do not understand the implications of residues in groundwaters. Although the Government recommend that it be disposed of in slurry, many farmers and contractors are still just tipping it on the ground.

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, the noble Countess is a well known and respected sheep farmer in the North. She well knows that ample advice is always at hand to the farmer in the form of codes of good agricultural practice and guidance leaflets. Furthermore, I am sure that the noble Countess knows that the water regulatory authorities have a programme of farm visits the purpose of which is to advise the farmer on how to avoid causing pollution.

Lord Williams of Elvel

My Lords, is the Minister aware that on 17th June 1993, at col. 1661 of the Official Report, the noble Earl, Lord Howe, reported that the Government had received a letter from the European Commission following a complaint that it had received about the application in the United Kingdom of Directive 80/68 on the protection of groundwater against pollution from spent sheep dip. He stated: The Government are carefully considering the Commission's letter and will be sending a full reply in due course". Has that full reply been sent, and what does it contain?

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, the Commission has agreed to revisit that directive on the spreading on to land of sheep dip. We hope to be able to say something along those lines shortly.

The Countess of Mar

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his reply to my supplementary question. He stated that the National Rivers Authority has advisers who go to farms. However, I gather that they are few and far between. In 10 years we have not seen one on our farm. Are there any other authorities, for example the Health and Safety Executive, which have powers over the farmers to ensure that they dispose of their sheep dip properly?

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, again, as the noble Countess will know, perhaps one of the most important advisers and authorities on the issue is ADAS.

Lord Williams of Elvel

My Lords, will the noble Earl help me a little further? What does "revisiting a directive" mean? It is not an expression with which I am familiar. Does it mean that a new version of the directive is being considered? If that is the case, does the present directive remain in force? If so, is there a letter replying to the application under the present directive?

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, "revisiting" simply means that the Government are having a look again at the specific directive to see that the contents of that directive are sensible and can apply equally to other member states as well as to the United Kingdom.

Baroness Nicol

My Lords, is the ADAS advice to which the noble Earl referred available free to farmers or do they have to pay for it?

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, I shall correct myself in writing if I am wrong; but I believe that in some cases it is free advice; in others, it is paid for.