§ Mr. RaffanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of United Kingdom rivers are in class 1 of river water quality and what is the comparable percentage figure for the European Community as a whole.
§ Mr. HowardThe 1985 river quality surveys indicated that about 83 per cent. of river lengths in the United Kingdom were classified as being of class I (good) quality. Comprehensive information on a comparable basis for other EC member states is not available. However, a study published in 1988 by the water research centre, in reviewing classification schemes across member states, showed that on the basis of comparisons made using the United Kingdom river classification scheme, only 39 per cent. of rivers in the European Community as a whole were of good quality. Only one other member state—Ireland at 84 per cent.—had a greater proportion of "good" quality rivers. A summary of these results is published in the Water Authorities' Association publication "Water Facts 1988".