HC Deb 17 December 1992 vol 216 cc488-9W
Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many EC countries have been or are currently being prosecuted for failing to implement EC directives on water quality; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maclean

My Department holds details of the number of infraction cases referred to the European Court of Justice following a reasoned opinion for the period 1983–92. This information in respect of water quality directives is as follows:

1983–87
Belgium titanium dioxide waste
Belgium pollution of groundwater
Greece pollution of groundwater
Greece mercury and cadmium discharges
Italy water quality for freshwater fish
Italy pollution of groundwater
Netherlands pollution of groundwater
1988
France drinking water
Germany pollution of groundwater
Italy water quality for freshwater fish
1989
Belgium drinking water
Belgium quality of surface water for drinking, and measurement and sampling of surface water
France quality of surface water for drinking, and measurement and sampling of surface water
Germany quality of surface water for drinking, and measurement and sampling of surface water
Greece quality of surface water for drinking
Italy discharges of HCH
Italy discharges of cadmium

Spain Pollution of groundwater
Spain discharges of HCH
United Kingdom drinking water
1990
Germany drinking water
Italy discharges of cadmium
United Kingdom bathing water
1991 None
1992 None to date