§ Mr. Farrasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made in reducing the level of detergent river foam to the level estimated by his predecessor in 1964; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonThe incidence of foaming in rivers has been greatly reduced since 1964, though I cannot trace any estimate by my right hon. Friend's predecessor then of the level it was expected to achieve and it has become apparent that the problems are more complex than was thought five years ago. Foaming on some rivers still gives cause for concern, and the Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents has the matter under review. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of its Tenth Report, published in February.