§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what parts of the Reservoirs Act 1975 have still not been implemented; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe Reservoirs Act 1975 applies to large raised reservoirs and is being implemented in stages:
- (i) enabling regulations and regulations for the appointment of the panels of engineers (required for various functions under the Act) came into force throughout Great Britain in 1984;
- (ii) on 1 April 1985 throughout Great Britain (except the Greater London and English metropolitan areas, where it will be on 1 April 1986) provisions came into effect
703 transferring responsibility for reservoir safety from district to county councils (providing for their setting up registers of reservoirs, taking action in event of an emergency and reporting to the Secretary of State about steps taken to ensure compliance with the Act); requiring owners to provide information about their reservoirs; and providing for non-compliance with the Act to be a criminal offence; - (iii) the remaining provisions, mainly concerning the supervision of reservoirs between inspections by qualified civil engineers, will come into force on 1 April 1986 (1 April 1987 in the Greater London and Metropolitan areas).
The Act replaces the Reservoirs (Safety Provisions) Act 1930, which already provides a strict regime for the inspection of large raised reservoirs and the supervision of their design and construction by qualified engineers appointed by the Secretary of State on the advice of the Institution of Civil Engineers. (Mine and quarry lagoons which are tips are covered by the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act 1969 and are supervised by the Health and Safety Executive.)