HC Deb 02 November 1988 vol 139 cc684-5W
51. Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress towards full implementation of the European Economic Community directive on the quality of bathing water.

Mr. Moynihan

We are making good progress towards full implementation of the EEC bathing water directive. We have identified almost 400 coastal bathing waters under the terms of the directive, and some 60 per cent. now meet the directive's mandatory bacteriological requirements. A major capital expenditure programme is under way to bring the remainder up to standard and we have recently asked water authorities in England and Wales to review the scope for accelerating existing programmes with a view to bringing all remaining waters up to EEC standards by 1995.