§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals for checking cadmium levels in water supplies for domestic consumption.
§ Mr. Denis HowellBefore a source is used for public supply, water authorities, water companies and local authorities include a test for cadmium in their preliminary screening. Should cadmium be detected a specific analysis would be undertaken to see whether the source is fit for use; the Department has issued a recommendation on the method to be used.
380Waverage cost of providing office furniture within the Home Civil Service for (a) a typist and (b) a member of each grade of the administrative staff from the rank of permanent secretary down to the most junior grade; what items, typically, are included in each case; and whether value added tax is excluded from the costs.
§ Mr. MarksThe following table sets out the normal furniture standards for typists, clerical, executive and administrative grades of the Home Civil Service, together with the average costs—excluding VAT—for new furniture. Average costs of existing furniture are, of course, less. The furniture listed is the normal range excluding special items which may be needed for particular jobs, especially by junior staff.
Once a supply is brought into use it is regularly monitored; in addition surveys are carried out from time to time—a national survey for heavy metal content is under way at present. There is no indication that either the WHO hazard level of 10 microgram/litre or the recently agreed EEC level of 5 microgram/litre is exceeded in any British public supply.