asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he is satisfied that the monitoring of the disposal of chemical waste along the western coastline of Great Britain is sufficient to meet the terms of the Dumping at Sea Act 1974;(2) what is the current level of mercury in the waters separating England and Northern Ireland; and what is the permissible maximum level.

The level of mercury varies with the physical properties of the natural and other discharges into sea water. In these circumstances a permissible maximum level is not applicable.We conform fully with the 1974 Act in controlling dumping into the sea and in monitoring arrangements.