§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state each of the occasions when midge fly infestation, or similar cause, has interrupted 1185W public water supplies and the remedial or preventative action subsequently taken; and what future capital expenditure is contemplated by any regional water authoritiy to reduce risk of failures due to this cause.
§ Mr. Howard[holding answer 26 July 1989]: Midge fly infestation was a major cause of the failure of water supplies in south-east London recently, but I am not aware that such infestation has interrupted public water supplies previously.
Thames Water will be making a report to me on the recent incident and the report will be studied to see what lessons can be learnt for the future.