§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much finance has been provided by his Department for research and development into disposal methods of sewage sludge by methods other than sea deposition;
(2) how much finance has been provided by his Department on research and development into methods of sea disposal of sewage sludge, treated and untreated, in each year since 1980.
§ Mr. John PattenSince 1980 my Department has financed research into the environmental and public health aspects of methods of disposing of sewage sludge as follows:
(£'000) Sea disposal Other methods 1980–81 60 160 1981–82 70 216 1982–83 112 280 1983–84 140 395 1984–85 120 377 *1985–86 100 340 * Estimated The research on sea disposal does not distinguish between treated and untreated sludge.