§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the specific measurements of the substances that are to be present in or absent from river water in order to meet(a) the minimum clean water qualification standards of the National Rivers Authority and (b) the qualification standards set by the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe requirements of the general river classification system currently in use throughout England and Wales are set out in the report of the 1985180W river quality survey, a copy of which is in the Library. There is no EC legislation setting general quality standards for rivers, although there are directives relating to specific dangerous substances (76/464/EEC et seq, reproduced in Department of the Environment circular 7/89 (Welsh Office 16/89)), to the quality of designated fresh water needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life (78/659/EEC), and to the quality of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water (75/440/EEC).
§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what system of classifying the quality of river water has been prescribed by his Department.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe general classification system for rivers currently in use throughout England and Wales is being reviewed and will not be formally prescribed until that review has been completed. In the meantime specific classifications have been established, by regulations made under section 104 of the Water Act 1989, for surface waters according to their suitability for abstraction by water undertakers for supply (after treatment) as drinking water (SI 1989 No. 1148) and for a range of specific dangerous substances (SI 1989 No. 2286).
§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the results of the survey of rivers being conducted by the National Rivers Authority will be available.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryI understand that the NRA expects to be able to publish results from its 1990 survey of river quality in England and Wales during the autumn of 1991.