HC Deb 15 July 1987 vol 119 cc1122-3
6. Mr. Tony Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for the Environmnt if he will estimate the number of homes in England and Wales with lead plumbing, and the percentage of the total this represents.

Mr. Moynihan

About 9 million properties in England are believed to have lead pipes, and that is about 50 per cent. of the total housing stock. For the figures for Wales, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 1 July by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales.

Mr. Lloyd

Does the Minister understand that, even on his figures, in excess of 10 million people are receiving doses of lead seven times as high as the maximum permitted standard under EC regulations? When my hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) raised this important issue and said that lead was unsafe at every level and was a threat to both mental and physical health, the Minister accused my hon. Friend of scaremongering. Is the Minister going to tell me that I am scaremongering, or will he say instead that the Government at last recognise the real need to fund an adequate replacement programme which will see an end to lead piping throughout England and Wales?

Mr. Moynihan

I do believe that the hon. Gentleman is scaremongering. The Government commitment is that any area where the lead concentrations exceed 100 microgrammes per litre must be tackled. For that reason, one of the most substantial programmes to reduce those lead levels is in action, with a target date of December 1989 for the completion of the main programme of remedial action at the top of the priority list.

Mr. Tony Banks

Is the Minister aware that my African grey parrot almost died recently from lead poisoning due to the ingestion of lead from the water supply in Newham? Will he tell the House what this programme will comprise? In view of the dangers to people's health from the ingestion of lead through the water supply system, will he make sufficient funds available to the water authorities, particularly to the Thames water authority and the London borough of Newham, so that all lead piping can be stripped from homes that at present get their water through such pipes?

Mr. Moynihan

The hon. Gentleman will know that there are two ways to tackle the problem. First, his parrot will be delighted to know that the water undertakers are at present embarked on a pH adjustment of the water in his area and are dosing it with orthophosphate. Secondly, it is the hon. Gentleman's responsibility to handle the problem of lead pipes in his home. He will undoubtedly be pleased to hear that 25,000 grants have been given under the Housing Acts to assist people to tackle that problem in their properties.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

Is my hon. Friend aware that many of my constituents live in properties with lead pipes. as I do? I welcome his intention to have a programme to deal with this. Will he accept a serious point, which is that the greatest danger is when the water has been in the pipes overnight? Does he agree that it is important to let a lot of water run off first thing in the morning before using water?

Mr. Moynihan

I think that public education programmes of that sort would be extremely useful for my hon. Friend's constituents.