§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress the National Rivers Authority has made towards introducing a scheme of charges for consents to discharge effluent to water.
§ Baroness BlatchThe NRA introduced charges for applications for discharge consents from 1st October last year. It has now put forward proposals for annual charges to be levied on consent holders from 1st July this year Copies of the proposals have been placed in the Library. Interested parties have until 30th April to comment on the proposals, which can be put into effect only if approved by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.