§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to improve the cleanliness and safety of British beaches.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe standard of cleanliness of individual beaches is a matter for the local authority concerned. However the Government are giving support to the "Keep Britain Tidy" group's programme of research into marine litter, which includes shoreline surveys. The report of the first survey, entitled "Litter on the Beaches of the British Isles", was published in November 1980, and a second survey is under way.
As regards sewage pollution, water authorities have a number of major schemes to improve or replace inadequate sewage outfalls. A detailed note on this subject was placed in the Library in August last year; it explains how the United Kingdom is complying with the EC directive on bathing water.
More generally, I announced on 15 February our plans to implement part H of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. This will extend the powers of water authorities to control polluting discharges to all coastal waters, up to a three-mile limit.
With regard to oil pollution on beaches, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 February by my hon. 448W Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Dover) about the Paris conference on maritime safety.—[Vol. 17, c. 12.]