§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what estimate he has made of the number of houses in Northern Ireland where lead tanks and pipes will be replaced during the financial year 1982–83;
44W(2) what figures are available for the number of houses in Northern Ireland where water lead levels are above the danger limit laid down by the World Health Organisation;
(3) what financial resources are available in Northern Ireland in 1982–83 for identifying homes with dangerous water and for replacing lead pipes and tanks; and what plans he has for increasing these resources.
§ Mr. David MitchellThere are no plans or resources for indentifying or replacing lead tanks and pipes in individual houses in Northern Ireland in 1982–83. This is because steps are being taken to ensure that public water supplies are not plumbo-solvent. A survey in 1980 showed that 9 out of Northern Ireland's 159 water sources were then capable of producing plumbo-solvent supplies. A programme to provide corrective chemical treatment of these 9 sources is now under way.