§ Mr. David Huntasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to implement the EEC directive on bathing water.
§ Mr. KingMy right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have appointed the water authorities as the competent authorities in England and Wales for the purposes of implementing the directive approved by the previous Government in December 1975. Identification of the waters covered by the directive and subsequent monitoring will begin shortly in the light of advice which has been issued today to the water authorities. The Government will be making a report on the implementation to the EEC Commission in December, as required by the directive. Separate arrangements are being made to cover Scotland and Northern Ireland.