§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to phase out the disposal of all types of waste in the sea.
§ Mr. BaldryDumping of solid waste at sea is a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Dumping of sewage sludge at sea will be phased out by the end of 1998. The United Kingdom is voluntarily refraining from dumping radioactive waste at sea. All waste water discharges in England and Wales are subject to regulation by the appropriate regulatory authorities. They must meet specified international and domestic standards and may be subject to conditions to ensure that those standards are met, so that discharges do not cause unacceptable harm to the environment.