§ Mr. WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the most recent estimate of the total level of capital investment required to meet the EC Municipal Waste Water Treatment directive.
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 16 November 1992]: Following discussions with the Department, the National Rivers Authority, and the water industry, the Director General of Water Services made certain assumptions in order to make an estimate of the possible capital costs for England and Wales in his consultation paper, "The Cost of Quality", published in August. Work continues, however, to identify the obligations arising from the directive and associated costs with greater precision.