§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what financial resources are available 322W in England in 1982–83 for identifying homes with dangerous water and for replacing lead pipes and tanks; and what plans he has for increasing those resources;
(2) what figures are available for the number of houses in England where water lead levels are above the danger limit laid down by the World Health Organisation;
(3) what estimate he has made of the number of houses in England where lead tanks and pipes will be replaced during the financial year 1982–83.
§ Mr. Giles Shaw[pursuant to his reply, 29 March 1982, c. 38]: Of the 8 million or so dwellings in England with lead plumbing, about 0.4 million have daytime levels of lead in drinking water exceeding the WHO advisory limit of 100 microgrammes per litre. This is not a danger level, but the level above which it is sensible to take action to reduce people's exposure. Following the Government's policy statement on 11 May last year—Vol. 4, c. 483–6—water undertakers are pressing ahead with their programmes of chemical treatment to reduce lead-solvency—the most economical way of tackling the problem. Where treatment is inappropriate or proves ineffective, replacement of lead plumbing may be called for. The Government are advising local authorities to replace plumbing in their own houses with a lead-in-water problem and to make home improvement grants available to private owners and tenants in step with the treatment programme. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget Statement an increase of £74.5 million in authorities' 1982–83 capital allocations, specifically for home improvement grants. It is, though, for local authorities to determine priorities for both revenue expenditure on any necessary investigation and capital expenditure on works and grant.