§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the disparity between groundwater regulation charges in England and Scotland. [123018]
§ Mr. MullinIn England and Wales, where the Environment Agency is responsible for authorisations under the Groundwater Regulation 1998 a single charge, equivalent to the initial £85 application charge payable at the inception of the scheme, will cover the first four-year period of groundwater authorisation. In Scotland, where the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency is the competent authority, charges under the Groundwater Regulations are a matter for the devolved Administration.