HC Deb 21 February 1990 vol 167 cc759-60W
69. Dr. Michael Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the change in the number of beaches conforming with the EC bathing waters directive over the last year.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

In the 1988 bathing season, 267 of the 403 of the bathing waters then identified in the United Kingdom under the EEC bathing water directive met the directive's mandatory coliform standards. In the 1989 bathing season 336 out of 440 identified waters in the United Kingdom met the mandatory coliform standards. This is an increase in compliance from 66 to 76 per cent.