§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been(a) allocated and (b) spent on capital works programmes for water services in each year since 1987–88 in relation to the compliance with European Community regulations and directives; what delays have taken place in efforts to achieve EC standards on (i) drinking water, (ii) bathing water and (iii) disposal of sewage sludge to land-based sites; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Hector Monro[holding answer 1 April 1993]: Separate capital allocations are not made for specific parts of authorities' water and sewerage programmes. Projects related to meeting the requirements of EC directives come within the overall water and sewerage programme. Allocations and the outturn expenditure on water and sewerage are given in tables 1 and 2 respectively.
Virtually all drinking water improvement programmes are on target. Detailed information is available in the report "Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 1991", publication of which I announced in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Robertson) on 10 February. A copy of the report is available in the Library.
A £100 million programme of sewerage improvements has been drawn up for those bathing waters, arising from the EC bathing waters directive. The improvements are designed to enable compliance by 1997.
The predominant land-based disposal route for sewage sludge is to agricultural land. A recent survey has demonstrated that EC requirements are being attained. As a result of the EC urban waste water treatment directive which, among other things, provides for the ending of sea-based disposal by, at the latest, 1998, the quantity for land-based disposal will rise very steeply. There have been no delays in implementing this directive which was adopted only in 1991.
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Table 1—Capital allocations for the water and sewerage programme (includes flood prevention and cost protection) Year £ million 1987–88 1040 1988–89 112.5 1989–90 12.61 1990–91 138.4 1991–92 164.8 1992–93 224.1 1993–94 229.9 524W
Table 2—Outturn capital expenditure on water and sewerage Year Water Sewerage £ million £ million 1987–88 460 52.6 1988–89 54.1 56.5 1989–90 62.0 65.4
Year Water Sewerage £ million £ million 1990–91 66.0 78.5 1991–92 80.6 90.6 Figures for later years not yet available.