§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many short sea outfalls known to his Department discharge untreated sewage into the sea around the coast of England.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThere are 344 short outfalls—those less than 500m in length—in England which discharge to coastal or estuarial waters. At most of these sewage is discharged either with no treatment or with screening of gross solids only.
§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be publishing the results of his research into the survival of viruses in sewage-polluted bathing waters.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe research project by WRC on rotaviruses in sewage discharges is proceeding satisfactorily and we expect to receive the final report of the study shortly.