HC Deb 01 February 1971 vol 810 c266W
Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department undertakes bacteriological testing of beaches in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Peter Walker

Such testing would be the responsibility of local public health authorities but, on account of the variability of the results, bacteriological tests were not recommended for general use in the 1959 report of the Public Health Laboratory Service. The Water Pollution Research Laboratory has conducted a series of tests in connection with its research into methods of sewage disposal to the sea.