§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities are still allowing untreated effluent to flow into rivers.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI regret that I do not have the information my hon. Friend asks for, but few local sewage disposal authorities provide no treatment for sewage before discharging it to non-tidal rivers. In the latter half of next year the River Pollution Survey which is now in progress will provide a schedule of all discharges of untreated sewage to all rivers in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities pump untreated effluent into the sea.
§ Mr. Denis HowellUntreated sewage from at least part of their area is discharged into the sea by 78 local authorities.
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the total expenditure by river authorities on research in water pollution in each of the last five years; and what plans exist for increases in this expenditure.
§ Mr. Denis HowellExpenditure on research is not identified in the accounts which river authorities publish in their annual reports, and, indeed, it would hardly be possible, except arbitrarily, to isolate research from their other activities. But with the growing need for the re-use of water the effort given to collecting facts about and studying the subject of water quality is bound to increase, a trend which may be strengthened by the report next year of the River Pollution Survey, and by the work of the new steering committee on water quality.