HC Deb 28 June 1989 vol 155 cc490-1W
56. Mr. Lord

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to improve the quality of the sea water around the beaches of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Howard

Water authorities are currently spending about £100 million a year on improvements to bathing waters.

In 1988, a total of 6 per cent. of bathing waters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland met the mandatory coliform bacteria standards of the EC bathing water directive. I have asked water authorities to draw up programmes with the aim of bringing the remaining waters up to these standards by the mid-1990s.