HC Deb 21 May 1990 vol 173 cc25-6W
Mr. David Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many United Kingdom coastal bathing waters passed the European Economic Community requirements for all mandatory parameters for the last year in which figures are available; and what percentage this number was of the total.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

I refer my hon. Friend to the report on the quality of United Kingdom bathing waters for the 1989 bathing season which my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside placed in the Library on 25 January 1990 (Official Report, column 785).

Mr. David Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many United Kingdom bathing waters passed the European Economic Community 76/160 recommended guideline values in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

The directive's very demanding guide value standards were met in 1989 for the coliform parameters by 179 (41 per cent.) of the 440 identified bathing waters; 76 per cent. of these waters complied with the mandatory values.