HC Deb 05 May 1988 vol 132 cc561-2W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on how many occasions for the last year for which figures are available local water authority consents, as specified under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, were broken in Great Britain;

(2)how many private companies broke water authority consents, as laid down under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, during 1987; and which were the companies concerned;

(3)on how many occasions in the last year for which figures are available the River Calder in West Yorkshire suffered from pollution beyond the agreed consents as laid down by Yorkshire water authority; and if he will list the companies and organisations involved and the frequency of the said polluting;

(4)on how many occasions in the last year for which figures are available consents for suspended solids in British waterways were breached by private companies; on how many occasions consents for monohydric phenols were breached by private companies and on how many occasions consents for ammonia were breached by private companies in respect of consents set by water authorities in the British Isles as laid down by the Control of Pollution Act 1974; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moynihan

This information is not held centrally, but the public registers which all water authorities are required to maintain contain details of all authorised discharges, including particulars of effluent samples taken.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions when water authority consents were breached by polluters legal action was taken by water authorities and convictions achieved; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moynihan

Information collected by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department shows that there were about 35 convictions in 1986 following action by water authorities for breaches of discharge consents. The figures for 1987 are not yet available.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the total amount of fines collected during 1987 following prosecutions under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, in respect of breach of water authority consents;

(2) on how many occasions during 1987 the maximum fine of £2,000 was levied by a magistrates' court against an offender under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 in respect of water pollution due to the breach of water authority consents.

Mr. Moynihan

Information about penalties imposed following prosecutions under part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 is collected by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. I understand, however, that information for 1987 is not yet available.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on how many occasions British water authorities have been in breach of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 in respect of breach of consents for water pollution as agreed with his Department;

(2) which water authorities broke water pollution consents as laid down by the Control of Water Pollution Act 1974 during 1987; and what was the frequency of such breaches.

Mr. Moynihan

In 1986, the first year for which comprehensive data are available, 965 sewage treatment works breached their consents on more than 5 per cent. of occasions for which samples were taken. These works were spread across all water authorities in England and Wales. The final figures for 1987 are not yet available.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the volume of raw human sewage which is allowed to find its way into British estuaries for the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moynihan

Figures are not held centrally. However, most sewage now receives treatment before being discharged to estuaries. As a result, the quality of water in a number of estuaries—including the Humber, Mersey, Tees, Thames and Tyne—has improved in recent years.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions have been taken out against water authorities by his Department due to breach of consents and what was the total sum of fines for the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Moynihan

No prosecutions have so far been taken out against water authorities by the Department for breaches of consents. However, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution, in examining detailed reasons for non-compliance, will continue to consider whether prosecution is justified in individual cases.