§ Sir David Rentonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider the introduction of effective legislation to protect agricultural land and livestock against pollution caused by the contamination of grazing meadows by polluted watercourses.
§ Mr. StrangNo. Regional water authorities are responsible for controlling the pollution of watercourses. They have powers, under existing legislation administed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, to regulate discharges into rivers and are thus in a position to take into account any adverse consequences of pollution.