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Water Resources and Supply
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about public water resources and supply arrangements in the longer term. [41119]
Mr. Gummer: I commissioned in September 1995 a review of water resources and supply arrangements in England and Wales in the longer term. It has been undertaken with the full involvement of representatives of the water companies and their regulators--the Environment Agency, the Office of Water Services and the drinking water inspectorate. Other organisations have contributed views.
As a result of that work, my Department and the Welsh Office are publishing today a paper entitled "Water Resources and Supply: Agenda for Action". Copies are available in the Library of the House. The paper confirms
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that the framework within which public water supplies are provided and developed is sound. It discusses the various factors which need to be considered in refining longer-term arrangements and identifies actions which the Government will take, together with actions for the water companies and their regulators.
Prominent among these are steps which should be taken to build upon work on climate change, such as that which informed the report of my Department's climate change impacts review group which was published in July. Reliable yields of existing water resource systems need to be reassessed from recent data and against climate change scenarios. Water companies need to study in more detail how water is used by households and how that may change with changing climate.
Demand on existing water resources needs to be managed in order to reduce the need for new resources. This can be done by encouraging efficient use of water, through the development of effective and equitable charging arrangements for water supply, and by companies reducing leakage to economic levels. Against the background of maximum economic use of demand management and a clear understanding of the capabilities of each discrete water resource and supply system, there needs to be a dialogue between water companies and their customers on the balance to be struck between higher security of supply and higher costs, taking full account of the need for sustainable development.
A case for new water resource development will be compelling only if there is insufficient scope for deployment of existing resources to meet properly-managed demand. Where there are local resource pressures, water companies need to consider the scope for bulk transfers of water or redistribution of water abstraction licences. The Government believe that it is important that market mechanisms, including price signals, provide incentive for this and will publish a consultation paper on economic instruments in relation to water abstraction in early 1997.
The Environment Agency has the central role in the planning of water resources at the national and regional levels. However, water companies have the duty to develop and maintain water supply systems and it is their responsibility, with full involvement of their regulators, to draw up plans for the timely development of new resources if the projected demand for water in particular areas cannot be reasonably or reliably managed to remain within the capacity of all the available existing resources. Where the existing resources are most finely balanced against projected demand increases, new resource planning should proceed in parallel with the continued implementation of measures to meet demand from the existing resources and against the background of continuous review of that balance. Each of these organisations will no doubt publicise its response to those actions in due course.
The paper also draws attention to the various contributions which water companies, manufacturers of water-using equipment and water consumers can all make to the sustainable management of water resources through water conservation. This agenda for action is for us all and outlines a strategy for the environmentally sustainable provision of water supplies in the longer term.
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Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now revised the report of the National Rivers Authority reviewing estuarial boundaries with special reference to the Humber; and if he will make a statement of its effect on the urban waste water directive. [39910]
Mr. Clappison:
My Department is considering the recommendations that the Environment Agency has made and I intend to make an announcement soon.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sets of guidance have been published by (a) the Environment Agency and (b) its predecessor agencies during 1996; and if he will make a statement on the application of the guidance. [40438]
Mr. Clappison:
This information requires compiling from a number of sources. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies have been conducted by (a) his Department and (b) the scientific panel of the Veterinary Products Committee of the environmental implications of the discharge of organophosphate sheep dip effluent into rivers and water courses; and if these studies were published. [40730]
Mr. Clappison:
My Department has not carried out any studies, but the Environment Agency, which has statutory powers to protect the aquatic environment, has an on-going research and development programme. As part of this programme, the agency has published two reports "The Disposal of Sheep Dip Waste--Effects on Water Quality" (1994) and "Pesticides in the Aquatic Environment" (1995).
The activities of the Veterinary Products Committee are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to issue guidance to Health and Safety Executive inspectors to apply strict guidelines for the early investigation of incidents involving the alleged misuse of pesticides, including organophosphates. [40731]
Sir Paul Beresford:
None. Guidance was issued in November 1993.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions have taken place for the misuse of organophosphate pesticides under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985; how many prosecutions for organophosphate misuse have been made, pursuant to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 since they came into force; and what steps have been taken to ensure stricter control over the use of organophosphates. [40735]
Sir Paul Beresford:
There have been no prosecutions under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 concerning the misuse of organophosphate pesticides.
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Three prosecutions have been taken under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations and three convictions were secured.
The Health and Safety Executive has always strictly enforced health and safety legislation regarding the use of organophosphate pesticides at work. Free guidance has been sent to the agricultural sector and HSE inspectors give advice during workplace visits and, where necessary enforce measures to protect health and comply with FEPA and COSHH. Where significant shortcomings are found, they can issue enforcement notices and, ultimately prosecute.
HSE pursues an effective policy of guidance for prevention. This is considered more effective than regulation enforced by prosecution.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what joint research his Department has conducted with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food over the environmental implications of the failure of all sheep farmers to enrol in the certificate of competence for the safe use of organophosphate sheep dips under the National Proficiency Test Council [40732]
Mr. Clappison:
No joint research has been conducted, but without a certificate of competence, sheep farmers may not purchase organophosphate sheep dips. The certificate, held by over 12,000 sheep farmers, ensures that the holders are aware of the requirements for the safe disposal of sheep dip.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the change in the time taken to reply to letters from hon. Members in each of the last three years; and what are the reasons for this change. [40659]
Mr. Gummer:
The percentage of letters from honourable and right hon. Members replied to within the 15 days deadline in the last three years is as follows:
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of all speeches he made in the week beginning 7 October. [40815]
Mr. Gummer:
The main text of my speech during the environment forum of the Conservative party conference and a note on the Government's environmental record that was produced for that are available in the Library. This emphasised the comprehensiveness of the Government's vision for an improved environment for us all, whether in city, town or country.
I also spoke at a number of fringe events about different aspects of current and future Government policies.
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Speaking to the agriculture and countryside forum, I set out how Government policies help secure economic development in rural areas in a sustainable manner, and how we are extending our support for key rural services including the isolated village shop.
Speaking at the invitation of the Worldwide Fund for Nature, I demonstrated that the UK is a world leader both in meeting our existing climate change obligations, and in calling for more robust future targets for international action.
Speaking at the invitation of Conservative Students, I showed how active engagement in the European Union enables the Government to achieve a number of important environmental aims which we could not expect to achieve by acting alone.
Finally, I spoke to a meeting of the Conservative political centre on the theme "Town and Townscape--a thousand years of English urban culture". I drew attention to the importance of the town in our history and to the interdependence of urban and rural areas, restated the Government's commitment to strengthening the economy and environmental quality of our existing towns and cities, described how this helped us to realise our sustainable development objectives, and regretted that the official Opposition had signalled their desire to weaken existing support for town centres.
Text or transcripts of these other speeches are not available.
The slower performance in 1995 resulted from the high pressures on the Department's resources. I am concerned about delays in replying to any letters and a recent departmental review has identified various ways in which performance can be improved.
1995: 52 per cent.
1994: 57 per cent.
1993: 56 per cent.
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