§ Mr. Jesselasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which authorities now have the power to decide whether to put fluoride into the water supply; and with what constraints.
§ Dr. Owen:Under the National Health Services Reorganisation Act 1973 each 16W health authority is fully responsible for deciding in respect of its own area whether it wishes fluoridation to be introduced and, if so, for approaching the appropriate regional water authority. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment would expect a regional water authority to give effect as soon as it reasonably could to a health authority's request for flouridation, provided this was acceptable to any other health authority whose area would receive supplies of the fluoridated water.