§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he has taken to assist the cleaning-up of the environment of the Mersey basin; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Moynihan[holding answer 24 October 1988]: In 1983 the Department set up the Mersey basin campaign to co-ordinate a multi-million pound regeneration of the Mersey basin involving the North West water authority, central and local government and business and voluntary organisations.
The long-term aims of the campaign are to improve the worst parts of the river system to fair condition (Class 2 in the national classification scheme) and to upgrade the existing class 2 waters to class 1 (good quality). The campaign also seeks to improve the landward environment of the Mersey.
The project is expected to take some 25 years to complete with estimated capital expenditure around £4 billion in total—£2.5 billion on water quality improvements and £1.5 billion for landward improvements. The 237W campaign has been underpinned with aid from the European regional development fund. A range of resources is being brought to bear on the landward side, and in particular the Department's urban programme and derelict land grant. The Department is also giving direct assistance, along with industry, to the very worthwhile efforts of the voluntary sector in carrying out a series of waterside projects.
In these ways, substantial progress is being made in what is the largest clean-up programme of its kind in the country.