§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made towards implementing European Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources; and if he will make a statement on the establishment of draft action programmes. [19667]
§ Angela EagleThe Government have implemented all of the Directive's requirements, except the establishment of action programmes. We expect to issue draft action programme regulations for consultation before the end of 1997, with the aim of laying them before Parliament early in 1998.
The Government are currently finalising the detailed assessment of the monitoring data required by the first review of designations, which forms the next phase of the Directive's implementation. Any changes proposed as a result will be issued for public consultation.