§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times since June 1988 inspectors from the Scottish Development Department have reviewed improvement works for water supplies in each one of the Scottish regions.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe provision of public water supplies is the responsibility of the appropriate regional council. Nevertheless, the Scotish Development Department has frequent contact with the councils on drinking water quality and capital expenditure plans. In addition, the regional councils' programmes for the improvement of water supplies were reviewed comprehensively by the Department between October 1988 and January 1989. Certain improvement work in Grampian, Lothian and Strathclyde was further reviewed last week.