§ Baroness Anelay of St Johnsasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many beaches around England which are monitored for bathing quality passed the European Commission standards in 2000 and 2001; how many failed to meet the standards in 2000 and 2001; and what action is being taken to increase the success rate further. [HL4540]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: (Lord Whitty)388 (98 per cent) of the coastal bathing waters in England passed the Bathing Water Directive's main mandatory standards in 2001, compared with 375 (95 per cent) in 2000. Nine bathing waters (2 per cent) failed in 2001, compared with 21 (5 per cent) in 2000. Investment totalling £600 million in England and Wales is committed up to 2005, aimed at achieving further improvements, targeted at over 100 sewage treatment works and several hundred storm overflows. Ultra-violet disinfection of effluent has been or will be provided at over 120 sewage treatment works where this is needed to protect bathing waters, bringing water quality benefits to some 180 bathing waters. We are also actively addressing diffuse pollution of water from agriculture.