§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the rate of encroachment of bracken on water catchment areas in the United Kingdom and on the problems posed by, and health risks of contamination of, water supplies by chemicals emanating from bracken.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI am not aware of any significant encroachment of bracken on water catchment areas in England. There is no evidence to suggest that elements in bracken which could be a health risk are leaching into water supplies.
In other parts of the United Kingdom this is a matter for my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and for Northern Ireland.