§ Mr. SHORTasked the Minister of Agritulture whether he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation to co-ordinate the powers of those authorities responsible for dealing with the pollution of our inland waterways?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThe various aspects of the question of the pollution of rivers and measures for control of pollution, including the desirability of coordination of the powers of the authorities concerned, are receiving the attention of my right hon. Friends the Ministers of Health and Agriculture, with the help of an Advisory Committee appointed by them jointly.
§ Mr. SHORTasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will give a list of the authorities responsible for dealing with the pollution of our inland waterways?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMUnder the Rivers Pollution Prevention Acts and the Local Government Acts county councils and local sanitary authorities have certain powers for the control of pollution in rivers, and these powers can also be exercised by a joint committee of county and county borough councils appointed by the Minister of Health in the area in which the constituent authorities are jointly interested. There are at present four such joint authorities. Fishery Boards constituted under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Acts have also certain powers to control pollution within their districts.