Drinking Water: Aluminium Content (Hansard, 7 July 1988)

The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (The Earl of Caithness)
My Lords, the Government's medical advisers are in touch with workers undertaking research on this subject and will be assessing their reports when they have been written and published. However, current concentrations of aluminium in drinking water are not considered to be a health risk.

Lord Campbell of Croy
My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that reply. Since press reports have nevertheless spread the theory that aluminium in water may be another newly discovered danger to health, can the Government quickly determine for certain the facts in order to inform the public and, if possible, in due course, to reassure them?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, when we receive the report, of course we shall act upon it. I would only say to those who have been misled by, or who have perhaps misunderstood, the press reports that they should wait until the report is published.

§ Lord Mason of Barnsley
My Lords, is the Minister not aware that one has to be absolutely convinced that there is no causal relationship between aluminium in water and Alzheimer's disease? Is he not further aware that in Yorkshire, in Barnsley, Wakefield, Sheffield, Kirklees and Calderdale, there are 800,000 consumers drinking water with an aluminium content which exceeds the European Community limits? Obviously there must be many more in the other nine water authorities. Therefore, may I ask the Minister what Her Majesty's Government and the water authorities are doing to bring down those levels in. line with European Community standards?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I think the first point I should make to the noble Lord is that the European standard is there for coloration and not for health reasons. If one puts too much aluminium into water it tends to cloud the water; it is there for aesthetic reasons and not for medical reasons. No 393 national or international scientific body has recommended aluminium standards relating to Alzheimer's disease. Of course our water authorities must comply with European standards, and they will be doing so in the very near future.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, it is the top flight specialists and scientists who have issued this warning. That is why the whole matter is being discussed today. If peradventure, they are correct—bearing in mind that in some instances aluminium is being put deliberately into water so that we may well be deliberately causing harmful effects to many millions of people—can the Minister give the House an assurance that as soon as is humanly possible the report will be issued so that the appropriate action can be taken, just in case we might be very deliberately poisoning people in this country?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, as soon as the report is published and we have seen it in the department, we shall of course consider it.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, can I ask the Minister whether there could be any risk in using aluminium cooking utensils?

The Earl of Caithness
Not that we are aware of, my Lords. A recent Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food survey into a number of metals concluded that aluminium levels were not a cause for concern.

§ Lord Buxton of Alsa
My Lords, why do we have to wait for the research? As I understand it, we are years behind the United States, which already has stringent regulations. They must presumably have been introduced as a result of research.

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, we too have stringent regulations but they are for aesthetic and not medical reasons, so far as we know. That is why we are waiting for the report before we take matters further.

§ Viscount Hanworth
My Lords, does the Minister agree that people's intake of aluminium comes primarily from food and medicaments and not from water? If it is thought desirable to control that intake the Government should look first at aluminium canning and such things in the medicine field as buffered aspirin, emulsifiers and pickling agents. If we are concerned, it might be wise, even at this time, to have some control to lessen the aluminium being taken in from those major sources.

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, the noble Viscount is right. On average, less than 5 per cent. of our aluminium intake comes from water. Most of course comes from food. One takes in more aluminium from the tea leaves in a cup of tea than in one's normal daily intake of water if one does not drink tea.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, I agree with the Minister that we should not be misled by scare stories. Does he feel that his first reply was rather dismissive of the 394 evidence that has already been assembled? Will he take the report seriously when it comes? As has been suggested by his noble friend Lord Buxton, there should be serious consideration of the matter and consultation with the DHSS, bearing in mind that the incidence of Alzheimer's disease is increasing substantially.

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I hope that at no stage did I give the House any indication that I do not take the matter seriously. We shall consider the report, as will every water authority which uses aluminium.