§ 19. Mr. ButlerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the number of prosecutions undertaken by the National Rivers Authority.
§ Mr. HeseltineI understand that the National Rivers Authority brought 3,997 successful prosecutions for all types of offences during its first year of operation. Of these, 3,549 were for fisheries offences, 370 for water pollution offences, 59 for navigational offences and 19 for water resources offences. I shall be reviewing progress with Lord Crickhowell in the near future.
I attach great importance to securing improvements in environmental standards wherever they are needed. We have established an environmental and economic framework within which decisions will be taken.