HC Deb 13 February 1996 vol 271 cc479-80W
Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the length of the sewage outfall pipe at Norton for which the National Rivers Authority gave its discharge consent; and what is the actual length of the pipe as it now exists; [14335]

(2) if he will list those outfall pipes that (a) have been and (b) have not been measured for length by the National Rivers Authority for which it has discharge consent; [14323]

(3) when the National Rivers Authority measured the outfall pipes for which it has given consents. [14341]

Mr. Clappison

I understand that the National Rivers Authority does not usually measure the length of outfalls, but does verify locations of the discharge positions. The consent for the discharge at Norton, which pre-dates the establishment of the NRA, does not specify a pipe length but does specify the discharge location by national grid reference.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment the National Rivers Authority has made of the advantages of introducing a computer model of the tidal flow off the Norton outfall; [14339]

(2) when the National Rivers Authority expects to have a model for the flow of dispersal off the Norton outfall. [14340]

Mr. Clappison

I understand that the National Rivers Authority already has a model which can be applied to any discharge to the Solent.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the National Rivers Authority gave permission for the discharge of sewage on the flood tide at Norton. [14337]

Mr. Clappison

I understand that, since its establishment in 1989, the National Rivers Authority has not altered the discharge consent for the Norton outfall.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what enforcement action the National Rivers Authority intends to take for non-compliance with its consents at the Norton outfall. [14336]

Mr. Clappison

I understand that the National Rivers Authority is not aware of any current breaches of the consent for the Norton outfall.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the National Rivers Authority's response to the imposition of tertiary treatment plants for Solent outfalls. [14324]

Mr. Clappison

There is no requirement for tertiary treatment in the Solent.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies the NRA has made of the closure of the Totland outfall and the consequential effects on outflow at Norton; and what studies were made by the NRA of increasing the volume of discharge inside the Solent as opposed to outside it. [14408]

Mr. Clappison

I understand that the National Rivers Authority has carried out monitoring at Totland for bathing water directive and other purposes. Bacteriological quality at Norton foreshore has also been monitored by the NRA and has shown an improvement since 1993.

Detailed studies of the dispersion characteristics of the Solent for the purposes of the urban waste water treatment directive have resulted in a requirement for full secondary biological treatment for all significant sewage discharges into these waters.