HC Deb 18 November 1983 vol 48 cc597-8W
Mr. Terry Fields

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are taken to test supplies of water on Merseyside for pollution; what measures are taken to test for radioactivity; what are the permitted levels of radioactivity in public water supplies; what recent levels have been recorded on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave

The North-West water authority tests the Merseyside water supplies every day, and regularly analyses samples for a wide range of possible pollutants. The Department's radiochemical inspectorate has recently completed a comprehensive analysis programme of river Dee water, which is used to supply Merseyside, and regularly analyses water from a typical impounding reservoir in north Wales. The radioactive

£000s Cash
DOE programmes, expenditure Estimated outturn Estimated outturn Allocation
1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
Urban programme
Partnership (Liverpool) 17,448 24,801 24,100
Programme (Wirral and Knowsley) 2,959 3,844 5,470
Other 2,079 2,002 2,317
Special projects in Merseyside 5,000 13,100
Merseyside Development Corporation 5,300 22,500 35,100
New towns: Skelmersdale and Runcorn 15,000 12,300 16,700
Housing investment programme 68,800 102,000 70,060
Special housing projects in Merseyside 1,000 7,100
Derelict land 2,700 8,223 11,850
Sports council 134 132 160
Special projects 839 1,000
Historic buildings and conservation grants (offers made) 759 824 N/A
Special projects 2,000
Housing corporation 44,200 54,640 53,000
Special projects 8,630
Total 159,379 238,105 250,587
Government support for local authority current expenditure via
Rate support grant 384,417 380,297 388,925

Notes:

1. Urban housing investment, derelict land and Sports Council programmes' figures are for the Merseyside county area, together with that pan of the Merseyside special development area lying outside the county.

2. The housing investment programme outturn figures include expenditure on of capital receipts. For 1983–84 the figure given in the table is the Department's allocation only; local authorities' estimate of outturn for 1983–84 including expenditure of capital receipts is £118 million.

3. The 1983–84 figure for the Housing Corporation is the estimated outturn expenditure. The figures relate to the corporation's Merseyside region.

Additional resources found from within my Department's public expenditure programme have been used to assist specific measures to promote economic regeneration, improve the environment and to develop the

content of the samples has been found to be well within the WHO guideline levels, which have been adopted in the United Kingdom.