§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on drinking water quality in England since 1993. [125652]
§ Mr. MorleyStandards of public drinking water supplies have improved year on year since the Drinking Water Inspectorate was set up in 1990. The Chief Inspector's Annual Report published on 9 July 2003 reveals that 99.87 per cent. of more than 2.9 million tests carried out in England and Wales during 2002 met all the national and EU drinking water quality standards. 10 years ago nearly 37,000 tests failed to meet these standards. Last year, that number was_ just 3,741. A copy of the Report is available in the House Library.