HC Deb 20 July 1988 vol 137 cc679-80W
38. Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department proposes to commission any research into the possible link between high aluminium levels in water supplies and senility; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moynihan

The Department has no plans to commission any research into a possible link between high aluminium levels in water supplies and senility. However, as the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) was informed on 20 June, the Medical Research Council, with which we are in close touch and which is the main agency through which the Government support medical research in the United Kingdom, is carrying out research on this subject.

Mr. Ronnie Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the supply outlets of domestic water in the northern region that are currently being treated with aluminium sulphate, have aluminium concentrations in excess of the European Commission guidelines and are subject to derogations for these and other reasons.

Mr. Moynihan

Information on the water supplies in the northern region which are currently being treated with aluminium sulphate is not held centrally. The only supply which regularly exceeds the European Commission directive standard, is Tunstall, which serves around 60,000 people in the Bishop Auckland area. The Department has applied to the European Commission under article 20 of the directive for a delay in applying the aluminium standard to the Tunstall area until the end of 1988. The improvement programme is on target to meet that date. However, current aluminium concentrations are not considered to be a health risk.