Written question asked by Damian Green (Conservative) on Tuesday, 10 April 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 April 2001. It was answered by Bob Ainsworth (Labour) on Monday, 23 April 2001 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which parts of the United Kingdom have failed to meet European drinking water and bathing water standards since May 1997. - Inc table and ref to 'Bathing Water Directive - Detailed Summary of UK Survey Results', copies in Library.

Answer: Mr. Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which parts of the United Kingdom have failed to meet European drinking water and bathing water standards since May 1997. [158657] Mr. Robert Ainsworth: At least 3 million tests are done on public drinking water supplies each year, for a variety of potential contaminants. Since 1997, rates of failure to meet the relevant national standards (which are in some cases more stringent than those required under the EC Drinking Water Directive) have been as follows (figures for 2000 are not yet available). Percentage _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1997 1998 1999 England and Wales 0.25 0.22 0.18 Scotland 1.70 1.41 0.96 Northern Ireland 1.11 1.14 1.05 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. In the years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000, 57, 56, 47 and 33 UK bathing waters, respectively, failed to meet the relevant mandatory standards set in the EC Bathing Water Directive. Names and locations are included in the `Bathing Water Directive--Detailed Summary of UK Survey Results' for each year, which have been placed in the Library.

Secondary information