1. Purpose

This document is the summary report of the economic analysis of water use in the Solway Tweed river basin district, carried out under Article 5 of the Water Framework Directive.

The responsibility for overseeing general implementation of the Directive in the district falls jointly to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Scottish Ministers. The primary responsibility for carrying out characterisation and pressures and impacts analysis lies with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Environment Agency of England and Wales.

Responsibility for the economic analysis of water use rests with the Secretary of State and SEPA. This report includes a summary of the work done by DEFRA and SEPA in relation to the economic analysis of water. Work has been co-ordinated so as to ensure the requirements of the Directive have been met across the whole Solway Tweed River Basin District.

This work has been separately reported to the European Commission.