§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the standard of cleanliness of beaches in Great Britain; and if he will publish the results of any national survey that has been undertaken.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe standard of cleanliness of individual beaches is a matter for the local authority concerned.
The Keep Britain Tidy group is conducting a programme of research into marine litter, including shoreline surveys. The report of the first survey entitled "Litter on the Beaches of the British Isles" was published in November 1980 and the group is in touch with the Government about its results. Information about pollution of the coastline by oil is contained in the annual survey published by the advisory committee on pollution of the sea.
I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright) about the pollution of beaches by sewage.