§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the discharge of sewage waste into coastal waters so as to make secondary treatment a mandatory minimum. [25256]
§ Angela EagleThis matter is already under review. The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive sets secondary treatment as the norm for coastal discharges, unless it can be shown, through "comprehensive studies", that primary treatment only can be provided without any adverse environmental impact. The Environment Agency is responsible for certifying comprehensive studies. We have asked the Agency to ensure that the scientific basis for these studies is rigorously tested. We have also asked the Agency to keep us in touch with developments.