§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the ways in which he carries out his duties to protect the aquatic environment.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonA total of 130 scientists and support staff in my Department's fisheries laboratories carry out a substantial research and monitoring programme for the protection of the marine and freshwater environments. Reports are published of the results of research and of monitoring the environmental quality of our waters.
We take a major role in international work to strengthen understanding and protection of the aquatic environment.
Strict statutory controls under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 are applied to regulate disposal and incineration at sea of waste material, in conformity with international commitments to protect the environment. No waste may be dumped without a strict scientific assessment to ensure that disposal to sea will not harm the marine environment. The availability of disposal routes on land is also assessed. Licences are limited to one year to permit frequent review of the availability of land disposal. Concentrations of contaminants in sewage sludge have been reduced, and we are continuing to reduce the number of liquid industrial wastes dumped at sea as alternative means of disposal on land become available.
Discharges to sea of radioactive waste are authorised jointly by my Department and the Department of the Environment and have been very substantially reduced over the lifetime of this Government.
My Department advises upon applications for consents to discharge waste through pipelines to estuaries and coastal waters. These applications are carefully scrutinised with a view to avoiding any harmful effects from such discharges.
285WUnder the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 the terms of approval of pesticides include any conditions relating to storage or use which are necessary to ensure protection and conservation of the aquatic environment.
My Department plays an active role, both nationally and internationally, in the management and conservation of marine and freshwater fish and shellfish stocks.
My agricultural development and advisory service advises farmers on ways to reduce pollution of the aquatic environment. Reducing pollution of our rivers and watercourses is a very important consideration in the operation of the recently introduced farm and conservation grant scheme. I have made available grants of 50 per cent. for the installation on farms of facilities for the safe treatment and disposal of slurry and silage effluent.