§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the approach he intends to take with(a) the Environment Agency, (b) OFWAT and (c) the water companies to comply with the European Commission's year 2000 deadline for the provision of at least secondary sewage treatment for all coastal discharges. [45119]
§ Angela EagleThe EC Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requires the provision of secondary sewage treatment by the end of the year 2000 for those coastal discharges with a population equivalent of 15,000 or more, except in cases where there is flexibility to provide primary treatment or where a more stringent level of treatment is required. We are giving further consideration to the Government's policy options in the use of this flexibility.
Where deadlines apply, we will expect the water companies to meet these, as allowed for under investment plans agreed by OFWAT. Where deadlines are not met, the Environment Agency will take the appropriate enforcement action, in the light of the circumstances in each case and its Enforcement and Prosecution Policy.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) when he will respond to OFWAT's request for ministerial guidance on providing sewage treatment without ministerial endorsement of derogation applications to install plant below European Union requirements; [45144]
(2) if he will direct OFWAT to require water companies to meet the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment and the Bathing Water Quality directives without (a) derogation and (b) secondary treatment; [45150]
(3) how many sewage treatment derogations he has approved for forwarding to the European Union. [45146]
§ Angela EagleWe propose to respond during the summer to OFWAT's request for guidance on the environmental obligations to be placed on water companies in England and Wales, as part of the current Periodic Review of water company price limits from 2000–05.
There have been no applications to the European Commission for derogations under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive to provide less than secondary treatment for discharges in England. Any such applications would need to meet the requirements of the Directive.
The Bathing Water Directive does not specify the level of sewage treatment necessary to meet the required water quality standards. Therefore the question of derogation from any particular treatment level does not arise.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the framework of regulation and the progress towards meeting European Union directives on treatment of sewage in coastal discharges. [45152]
§ Angela EagleProgress towards meeting the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive is reviewed every two years in order to update 35W the implementation programme for the European Commission. We are considering the Government's policy options in relation to the use of the flexibility under the Directive to determine sewage treatment levels.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will consult OFWAT about the letter of 29 May from Councillor Derek Whittaker, Leader of Arun District Council, asking for direct intervention in respect of the Arun Campaign for Cleaner Seas; [45143]
(2) if he will make a statement on his meeting with Councillor Derek Whittaker of Arun District Council on 19 May and on subsequent representations on secondary sewage treatment on the Sussex coast. [45153]
§ Angela EagleIn preparing the response to OFWAT's request for guidance on environmental obligations to be placed on water companies in England and Wales, as part of the current Periodic Review of water company price limits from 2000–05, we will take into account the points made by Councillor Derek Whittaker, the Leader of Arun District Council, in his meeting with the Minister for the Environment on 19 May and in his subsequent letter of 29 May.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what standards of sewage treatment he requires the Environment Agency to demand for coastal areas; [45151]
(2) what is his policy towards ensuring compliance by water companies with European Union sewage treatment requirements for coastal discharges. [45149]
§ Angela EagleThe Environment Agency will set discharge consents on a case by case basis, which will require water company discharges to meet the standards of all relevant domestic and European legislation.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what policy he intends to adopt with(a) the Environment Agency, (b) OFWAT and (c) water companies to comply with the European Commission's 2000 deadline for the provision of secondary or higher sewage treatment for coastal discharge. [45148]
§ Angela EagleThe EC Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requires the provision of secondary sewage treatment by the end of the year 2000 for those coastal discharges with a population equivalent of 15,000 or more, except in cases where there is flexibility to provide primary treatment or where a more stringent level of treatment is required. We are giving further consideration to the Government's policy options in the use of this flexibility.
Where deadlines apply, we will expect the water companies to meet these, as allowed for under investment plans agreed by OFWAT. Where deadlines are not met, the Environment Agency will take the appropriate enforcement action, in the light of the circumstances in each case and its Enforcement and Prosecution Policy.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received which oppose the36W Campaign for Cleaner Seas and Arun District Council's request for more than basic treatment of sewage on the Sussex coast. [45145]
§ Angela EagleNone.