§ Mr. John GarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in theOfficial Report the number and location of breaches in 1988 in the EEC guide and mandatory levels for (a) faecal coliforms, (b) total coliforms, (c) cadmium, (d) arsenic, (e) pesticides, (f) nitrogen and (g) ammonia in bathing waters which were the responsibility of the Anglian water authority.
§ Mr. Moynihan[holding answer 16 March 1989]: My hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning announced on 21 February at column 572, the results of the 1988 survey of bathing waters for England, Northern Ireland and Wales. A summary of the results has already been placed in the Library. The report contains detailed results for individual waters in each water authority area, including numbers of samples taken for particular parameters and the number of these which failed to meet the directive's mandatory standards.
§ Mr. John GarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in theOfficial Report the number and location of breaches in 1988 in the EEC guide levels and maximum concentrations for (a) chlorides, (b) sulphates, (c) magnesium, (d) sodium, (e) potassium, (f) nitrates, (g) aluminium, (h) nitrates and (i) phenols in water intended for human consumption supplied by the Anglian water authority;
(2) if he will list in the Official Report the number and location of breaches in 1988 in the EEC guide levels and maximum concentrations for (a) iron, (b) manganese, (c) copper, (d) zinc, (e) phosphorus, (f) barium, (g) cadmium, (h) chromium, (i) mercury, (j) nickel and (k) lead in water intended for human consumption supplied by the Anglian water authority;
(3) if he will list in the Official Report the number and location of breaches in 1988 in the EEC guide levels and maximum concentrations for (a) herbicides, (b) fungicides, (c) PCBs, (d) insecticides, (e) total bacteria counts, (f) faecal coliforms and (g) faecal streptococci in water intended for human consumption supplied by the Anglian water authority.
§ Mr. Moynihan[holding answer 16 March 1989]: In view of the current widespread interest in drinking water 424W quality, Anglian water authority will be publishing a report on the subject setting out the extent of compliance in 1988 with all the standards set in the EC drinking water directive. Work is in hand to prepare this report and I am asking the authority to send the hon. Member a copy when it is published.
§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals exist to further relax effluent limits on the amount and type of effluent discharged by the plants of the North West water authority; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Moynihan[holding answer 16 March 1989]: My hon. and learned Friend, the Minister for Water and Planning announced on 7 December 1988 at column 199, that applications for temporary variations in discharge consent conditions will be considered for those sewage works where capital improvements are programmed to be completed by March 1992.
Applications made by the North West water authority under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, including those for time-limited variations, will be considered on an individual basis by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. Details of all applications made are held on the register maintained by the water authority which may be inspected, free of charge, by anyone at all reasonable hours.
§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many beaches have now reached the higher EEC standards.
§ Mr. MoynihanMy hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning announced on 21 February at column572, the results of the 1988 survey of bathing water quality. These showed that 254 out of the 380 bathing waters in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (67 per cent.) met the mandatory coliform standards in the 1988 bathing season, compared with only 51 per cent., measured on a comparable basis, in 1986.
Although since 1987 we have tightened the way we monitor and assess compliance with the directive, the EEC standards themselves remain unchanged.