§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on what basis he has determined that the852W Humber east of the Humber bridge is coastal waters for the purposes of the urban waste water treatment directive;
(2) what is the current level of waste water discharge into the Humber from Hull; and if it falls within the limit specified in paragraph 2 of article 6 of the urban waste water treatment directive;
(3) if he is yet able finally to determine whether primary treatment is appropriate for waste water discharges from Hull into the Humber estuary under the urban waste water treatment directive; and if he will make a statement;
(4) with whom the final decision rests as to appropriate treatment of waste water discharges into the Humber estuary from Hull under the urban waste water directive; and on what statutory basis any discharge consent or other approval will be given;
(5) how far is the Humber bridge from Spurn point;
(6) for what purposes the National Rivers Authority treats the Humber bridge as the outer limit of the estuary.
§ Mr. Atkins[holding answers Wednesday 14 December 1994]: The Humber bridge has been determined as the seaward limit of the Humber estuary, for the purposes of the urban waste water treatment directive, in the light of advice given by the National Rivers Authority.
The present sewage discharge at Hull represents a population equivalent of some 500,000 and is untreated. The final determination of whether primary treatment will be appropriate at any location will rest on whether the NRA is satisfied that the results of a comprehensive study demonstrate that a discharge treated to such standards will not adversely affect the environment. In the case of Hull, primary treatment as set out in article 6.2 will be permitted if the conditions set out in article 8.5 can be shown to apply. The NRA will then issue a discharge consent under regulation 6 of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994 and chapter II of part III of the Water Resources Act 1991: the requirements will depend upon the outcome of the process described.