§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment where, and in what form, it is possible for members of the general public to examine in respect of each water region in the United Kingdom or purchase, respectively, factual statements concerning use of, and consents for, industrial, agricultural, or other uses of ground water, together with documentations of the effect of all such statistics on the level of major water tables.
§ Mr. Baldry[holding answer 14 October 1991]: Information on all groundwater abstraction licences in England and Wales is held by the National Rivers Authority and is available on public registers at its regional offices. The authority also holds information on the levels of water tables.
The position in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
At present there is no groundwater abstraction licensing system in Northern Ireland, but the position is currently under review.