§ Mr. HASLAMasked the Minister of Agriculture whether researches are still being carried on with a view of finding means of rendering innocuous to fish the effluent of sugar-beet factories; if he is aware of any hopeful results being obtained either in this country or abroad; and if the subject is continuing to receive his attention?
Mr. GUINNESSThe Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is carrying out, under. the supervision of the Water Pollution Research Board (whose appointment was announced by the Lord President of the Council in the House of Lords on the 18th July last) working scale experiments on the biological treatment of beet sugar factories' waste waters at one of the largest factories in the United Kingdom where facilities are being afforded by the Anglo-Scottish Beet Sugar Corporation. The experiments are being conducted for the Department by the staff of the Rothamsted Experimental Station who also carried out successful preliminary988W investigation on which the experiments are based. The industry is maintaining close touch with these experiments through the medium of the committee referred to above and is making a substantial contribution towards their cost. Considerable attention has been and is being devoted to the problem abroad, but it appears that no complete solution of the problem has yet been found. From what has been said above, it will be clear that the matter is receiving the continuous attention of the industry and of the Government Departments concerned.