asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what communications he has received from the European Community regarding legal action in relation to the European Community directive on bathing waters.

As I informed the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 26 June 1986, there have been requests for information in respect of a number of individual bathing waters which have been the subject of representations to the commission.We have responded to these requests and provided the commission with the information sought.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to give any advice to the British public regarding the use of bathing waters below the European Community standard.

The Government see no need to issue general guidance on this matter. Her Majesty's Government are advised that sewage contamination of bathing waters may create a health hazard only when conditions are so foul as to be aesthetically quite unacceptable. Such occurrences are extremely rare. It is for medical officers of environmental health or officers from local authority environmental health departments to advise on local conditions.