HL Deb 27 October 1993 vol 549 c91WA
Lord Gainford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements they propose to make to provide a more independent role for the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

Baroness Denton of Wakefield

We propose to transfer to the chief drinking water inspector certain statutory responsibilities of the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales. These include the power to prosecute if water were to be supplied that was unfit for human consumption. We believe that the chief inspector should exercise these resonsibilities independently. Legislation will be needed to make the change.