HC Deb 06 January 2003 vol 397 cc30-1W
Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of trade discharge consents was reviewed by the Environment Agency in each region of England in each of the last five years. [86315]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 18 December 2002]: The information requested is not held centrally. I have asked the Environment Agency to provide the information requested and I will write to my hon. Friend when it is available.

Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what budget allocation she has made to the Environment Agency in respect of reviewing trade discharge consents in each of the next three years. [86316]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 18 December 2002]: No specific budget allocation is made to the Environment Agency to review trade effluent discharge consents to controlled waters. This is one of a range of regulatory activities funded by the Agency's Discharges to Controlled Waters charging scheme.

Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of technological developments on the adequacy of the Environment Agency's programme of reviews of trade discharge consent to watercourses. [86317]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 18 December 2002]: I have made no formal assessment. As part of their brief, both the Department and the Environment Agency maintain surveillance of technological developments pertinent to effective regulation, as well as sponsoring research and development in areas of need. The information from the surveillance and research and development is in the public domain and is disseminated within the Department and Agency by a variety of methods, according to the focus and potential impact of the technological development.