Bathing Beaches (Hansard, 18 July 1990)

§ Mr. Andrew Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all bathing beaches nominated by each of the river purification boards and the number and location of those which were subsequently approved as designated beaches by his Department.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
The full list of bathing waters nominated by the river purification boards in 1985 is as follows:
Highland RPB

Nairn

Dornoch South

Little Sand (Gairloch)

Embo

Burghead Bay

Gairloch

Gruinard South

Thurso

Dunnet Bay/Murkle Bay, Thurso

Trinkie South Head, Wick

Sinclair's Bay, Wick

Brora

Fortrose/Rosemarkie

Morar/Traigh, Mallaig

Back of Keppock/Bunacaimb, Arisaig

Sango Bay/Balnakeil Bay, Durness

Sangobeg, Durness

Mellon Udrigle, Gruinard Bay

Achnahaird Bay, Achiltibuie

Clachtoll/Stoer, Lochinver

Achmelvich, Lochinver

Glenbrittle, Skye

Farr Bay/Torrisdale Bay, Bettyhill

Coldbackie, Tongue Bay

Freswick Bay, John o'Groats

Golspie

Scourie

Applecross

Sand/Laide, Gruinard Bay

Sandside Bay, Reay

Loth, Crackaig, East Sutherland

Portmahomack

Melvich, Sutherland

Talmine, Sutherland

Hopeman

Drumbeg, Lochinver

Clashnessie Bay, Lochinver

Strathy Bay

Mellangaun, Loch Ewe

Sanna Bay, Ardnamurchan

Sheigra, Kinlochbervie

Invernaver, North Sutherland

Armadale Bay, North Sutherland

Balintore/Shandwick

Cromarty

Ullapool

North East RPB

Lossiemouth West and East

Strathlene, Buckie

Findochty

Cullen

Fraserburgh

Banff Links

Sandend

Cruden Bay

Ugie Mouth and Craigewan Sands, Peterhead

Sandyends, Banff

New Aberdour

Lido, Peterhead

Balmedie

Newburgh Sands

Aberdeen Beach

St. Cyrus

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Tay RPB

St. Andrews, East and West

Arbroath

Carnoustie

Montrose

Monifieth

Broughty Ferry

Kinshaldy (Tentsmuir)

Cambo (Kingsbarns)

Lunan Bay

Balcomie Links (Crail)

St. Cyrus

Forth RPB

Gosford Sands

Kinghorn (Pettycur)

Gullane Bay

Aberdour (Silver sands)

North Berwick

Elie/Earisferry

Yellowcraigs

Crail (Roome Bay)

Portobello

Whitesands Bay

Largo Bay

Tweed RPB

Pease Bay

St. Abbs/Coldingham

Eyemouth

Solway RBP

Sandyhills

Mossyard and Cardoness

Brighouse Bay

Carrick and Sandgreen

Killantringan Bay

Ardwell Bay

Port Logan Bay

Monrieth Bay

Luce Bay Sands

Southerness

Clyde RPB

Ayr (South,

Prestwick

Largs (North)

Troon (South)

Maidens

Barassie

Troon (North)

Irvine/Gailes

Girvan

Lunderston Bay

Largs (South)

Croy

Saltcoats

Milport

Helensburgh

Doonfoot

Rothesay

Stevenston

Butlins (Ayr)

Brodick

Ganavan (Oban)

Seamill—West Kilbride

Fairlie

Machrihanish

Dunure

Portenvoss

Turnberry

The list of waters which were subsequently identified for the purposes of the bathing waters directive is as follows:

Nairn (East Bench)

Cullen

Fraserburgh

Aberdeen

Montrose
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Arbroath

Carnoustie

St. Andrews (West Sands)

Kinghorn (Pettycur)

Aberdour (Silversands)

Gullane

Yellowcraigs

North Berwick (Milsey Bay)

Dunbar (Belhaven Bay)

Pease Bay

Sandyhills

Girvan

Turnberry

Ayr (South Beach)

Prestwick

Troon (South Beach)

Irvine/Gailes (New Town)

Saltcoats/Ardrossan (South Beach)

§ Mr. Andrew Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that non-designated bathing beaches are monitored regularly and conform to the coliform bacteria standards of the European Community bathing water directive applied to designated bathing beaches.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
My right hon. and learned Friend is responsible for implementation of the bathing waters directive in Scotland (76/160/EEC) and therefore for ensuring that Scottish waters identified in terms of the directive are monitored regularly. Monitoring of non-identified waters is carried out by the river purification authorities as part of their statutory responsibilities to control aquatic pollution. Such monitoring is generally in line with that required by the directive for identified waters. Results of monitoring are published in the annual reports of the river purification boards, copies of which are in the Library.

§ Mr. Andrew Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of designated bathing beaches in Scotland which met the recommended guideline standards as well as the minimum mandatory standards for coliform bacteria set by the European Community bathing water directive.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
In 1989, Cullen and Pease bay met the guideline (G) and mandatory (I) quality requirements specified in the bathing waters directive (76/160/EEC) for total coliforms. Pease bay met the G and I quality requirements for faecal coliforms.
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§ Mr. Andrew Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department informed the European Commission of the results of the monitoring carried out by river purification boards in 1989 which showed the number of bathing waters which conformed to the mandatory standards for coliform bacteria set by the European Community bathing water directive.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
Scotland's bathing water monitoring results for 1989 were reported to the European Commission by the office of the United Kingdom permanent representative to the European Communities on 8 February 1990, along with the results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

§ Mr. Andrew Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what criteria are applied in deciding which bathing beaches are designated; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he has any plans to extend the number of designated bathing beaches in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
Responsibility for identifying Scottish bathing waters in terms of directive 76/160/EC lies with the Secretary of State for Scotland. The directive defines bathing waters as fresh or sea water where(a) bathing is explicitly authorised or (b) bathing is not prohibited, and is traditionally practised by a large number of bathers. The list of 23 bathing waters currently identified in Scotland was drawn up from nominations made by the river purification boards after consultation with district councils and was finalised following discussion with the European Commission.
There are no plans at present to amend the current list. The position is, however, kept under review and any future amendments would be made by my right hon. and learned Friend taking account of, amongst others, the following objective criteria suggested for this purpose by the European Commission:

(1) facilities for access to the beach

(2) sanitary equipment

(3) facilities for changing

(4) parking space for cars

(5) lifeguards on the beach

(6) first aid service

(7) kiosks and shops (mobile shops)

(8) water sports facilities (boats, surfing, swimming lessons)