HC Deb 09 August 1966 vol 733 cc294-5W
42 and 43. Sir B. Janner

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he will give an assurance that the recent deferment of certain local authority expenditure will not affect the validity of his recent policy that there will be no difficulty for loan sanctions for any coastal sewage scheme which is urgently needed, provided that it is efficiently and economically designed;

(2) what action he intends to take to implement his official policy that the pollution of beaches by sewage must be stopped and that, where amenity is being affected on this account, the necessary money will be found.

Mr. Crossman

Even in the present economic situation, I am prepared to consider sympathetically loan sanction applications for sewerage schemes which are urgently needed to end gross pollution of beaches; and I shall continue to press individual local authorities to take action wherever I believe it is needed.

53 and 54. Sir J. Eden

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he will now make available the results under the detailed headings of the analyses which his Department has made of the replies received from all the main coastal authorities to a letter sent to them last year asking them whether they discharged sewage into the sea; whether it was treated; when the system was constructed; whether they were satisfied that their present arrangements left their own and neighbouring beaches free from serious pollution and obnoxious conditions; and what they proposed to do about it;

(2) in connection with the letter sent by his Department to all the main coastal authorities last year about their sewage disposal arrangements, how many of the replies are unsatisfactory; and what action he is taking to ensure that the situation at those places is remedied at an early date.

Mr. Crossman

Inspectors from the Department have just finished a series of visits to certain areas which, from the replies to the letter, seemed to need further investigation, and I am considering their reports.

Of 153 authorities who replied to the letter, 117 were discharging sewage to the sea, 110 either without treatment or after screening or comminution only. The outfall sewers were constructed at various dates up to 90 years ago. Ninety-one authorities either had recently carried out schemes to improve their disposal arrangements or had such schemes in progress or in preparation. There were 26 authorities who had not recently carried out improvements and who considered their present arrangements satisfactory.