§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the percentage of the population who receive public water supplies from rivers which have been exempted from the 50mg limit on nitrate pollution or in respect of which a notification of levels in excess of 50mg has been made to medical officers during the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenAbout 0.5 per cent. of the population receive public water supplies which are wholly or partly derived from river sources and which have been given a derogation to exceed the figure of 50mg of nitrate per litre set in the EC directive relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption. I do not have information about the population for whom notifications of levels in excess of 50mg per litre have been made to medical officers.