§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are made by his Department for regular monitoring of the quality and cleanliness of the water in the River Thames; and what 269W evidence he has of a deterioration of water quality and an increase in sludge deposits on the river bed at Greenwich over recent months.
§ Mr. MacleanThe National Rivers Authority is responsible for monitoring water quality; the results are available on public registers maintained in the NRA's regional offices. I understand that regular monitoring of the River Thames shows no evidence of changes in water quality other than those expected during a normal seasonal cycle, or of problems arising from sludge deposits at Greenwich.