§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has now identified a single less-sensitive area high natural dispersion area for the River Humber for the purposes of the directive—91/271/EEC—on urban waste water treatment;
(2) if he has classified the waters to the east of the Humber bridge as coastal waters for the purposes of articles 6.2 and 8.5 of the directive—91/271/EEC—on urban waste water treatment;
(3) what plans he has to use the special procedure in article 8.5 of the directive—91/271/EEC—on urban waste
142Wcollected in Liverpool for each of the last five years; and how much the city has received back from this tax.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesThe receipts of business rates and the share for Liverpool of the amount distributable from the non-domestic rates pool are as follows:
water treatment in respect of waste water discharges at any of the remaining locations referred to in his Department's announcement on 18 May 1994; if he will specify the locations where this will apply; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which the waste water discharges at all such locations fall within the maximum permitted population equivalent levels for the purposes of article 6.2 of the directive;
(4) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the area identified as a less sensitive area for high natural dispersion area for the River Humber meets the criteria set out in annexe IIB of the directive—91/271/EEC;
(5) if he will make it his policy that in the event that the comprehensive studies currently being carried out in relation to waste water discharges from Hull into the River Humber demonstrate that advanced treatment will not produce any environmental benefit, question as to whether such advanced treatment should be provided as an exceptional circumstance will be referred to the European Commission under the special procedure in article 8.5 of the directive—91/271/EEC—on urban waste water treatment.
§ Mr. Atkins[holding answer 20 February 1995]: As I announced on 18 May last year, the Humber has been identified as a combined high natural dispersion area. The extent of the HNDA is as shown on the map in the Library of the House. The identification was made in the light of advice by the National Rivers Authority that the area qualifies as an HNDA in the context of the urban waste water treatment directive including in particular annexe IIB of the directive. The seaward boundary of the estuary has been drawn at the Humber bridge in accordance with the requirements of article 2, for the purposes of the whole of the urban waste water treatment directive.
The procedures set out in article 8.5 of the directive will be applied in respect of any discharge into an identified HNDA from an area with a population equivalent greater than 150,000, where a comprehensive study as required by article 6.2 indicates that the less stringent treatment provided for in that article will not adversely affect the environment. Comprehensive studies will have to be carried out before the relevant deadlines in the directive.
If the comprehensive study being undertaken in relation to the discharge into the Humber at Hull indicate that more advanced treatment will not produce any environmental benefit, the Government will seek an article 8.5 derogation. If successful, this will ensure that the environment is protected while being of significant 143W benefit to water charge payers and to local trade effluent discharges.