§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the environmental quality standards which have been drawn up by Her Majesty's Government to protect the existing uses of the (a) Thames estuary, (b) Humber estuary, (c) Tees estuary, (d) Tyne estuary, (e) Forth estuary, (f) Clyde estuary, (g) Mersey estuary and (h) Severn estuary.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe application of environmental quality standards is in the first instance for the relevant water authorities (in England and Wales) and for the relevant river purification authorities (in Scotland). In so doing, they take account of relevant EEC directives and of Government policy. I am seeking the information the524W hon. Member requests about the application of environment quality standards and will write to him shortly.
On 2 September 1985, my Department and the Welsh Office issued a joint circular—18/85 (Department of the Environment) and 37/85 (Welsh Office)—which set out the Community environmental quality standards for mercury, cadmium and hexachlorocyclohexane, and established national standards for the following list II metals: lead, chromium, zinc, copper, nickel and arsenic.