To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cases of water pollution have been recorded in each year for the last five years, by region. [34631]
The number of substantiated pollution incidents recorded in each year since 1991 in each region of the National Rivers Authority is set out in the table. For 1990, due to differing recording practices between regions, the figures are in some cases of reported rather than substantiated incidents. As a result, the 1990 data are not directly comparable with those for later years. For consistency, all data are given on the basis of the current combined regions although the mergers of the Northumbria and Yorkshire regions and the South West and Wessex regions respectively took place in 1993.
| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | |
| Anglian | 1,647 | 2,140 | 2,462 | 2,625 | 2,819 |
| Northumbria/Yorkshire | 3,650 | 3,378 | 3,059 | 3,642 | 3,243 |
| North West | 4,171 | 3,020 | 3,270 | 3,656 | 3,532 |
| Severn Trent | 4,421 | 4,355 | 4,420 | 4,876 | 4,895 |
| Southern | 1,521 | 1,735 | 1,089 | 1,355 | 1,316 |
| Wessex/South West | 4,442 | 3,953 | 4,278 | 4,129 | 4,340 |
| Thames | 1,928 | 1,939 | 1,955 | 2,071 | 2,006 |
| Welsh | 1,474 | 1,949 | 2,798 | 2,945 | 3,264 |
| Total | 23,254 | 22,469 | 23,331 | 25,299 | 25,415 |