HC Deb 19 March 1990 vol 169 cc486-7W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he authorised a special briefing for theSunday Express newspaper on the levels and causes of pollution of the North sea in advance of its issue of 4 March.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

With my approval, officials have given general background briefing on the North sea conference to a wide range of journalists.

Mr. Butler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the contribution of pollution derived from the United Kingdom to the problem of algal blooms in the North sea.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

Eutrophication and algal blooms are a problem only in certain parts of the North sea along the eastern coastal seaboard, particularly in the Skaggerak. It is generally accepted that nutrients present in local run-off from intensive agriculture and discharges of sewage effluent can be a determining factor especially when receiving waters are shallow and slow moving.

Recent studies carried out by the Natural Environment Research Council's Institute of Oceanographic Science show that the United Kingdom does not contribute to this problem as continental seaboard water is kept separate from the rest of the North sea by more saline water flushing through from the English channel.

In addition, inputs of nitrogen, the most important nutrient to the sea from the United Kingdom, have shown no increasing trend in recent years and the IOS study shows that the central North sea, which would be influenced by United Kingdom nutrient inputs, show low levels, even in winter, when other areas have high levels.

Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline his Department's responsibilities in respect of the North sea.

Mr. Trippier

[holding answer 15 March 1990]: The Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's policy input to the series of North sea conferences as well as housing the United Kingdom's North sea scientific task force co-ordinator who manages our scientific input into international work in preparing a fully updated quality status report for the North sea. This reflects the Department's general co-ordinating interest in respect of marine environmental matters, including those which lie within the responsibility of other Departments.

In addition, the Department also has specific policy responsibility for the water sewage industry, for bathing waters and for control of waste discharges by pipelines to rivers and coastal waters.