Paul Bradford
Question:102 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for the Environment the number of houses in the country which do not have a water supply; and the proposals, if any, he has to remedy the situation.
Written Answers. - Houses Without Water Supply.
Firm up-to-date information on the number of houses in the country without a water supply will not be available until the results of the 1991 Census of Population are compiled. However, sample surveys of the housing stock would indicate that the proportion of the total stock with no internal water supply has been reduced from 4.3 per cent in 1980 to 2.3 per cent in 1990 — a total of approximately 23,000. There is a number of ways in which the provision of water supplies can be assisted including: group water supply schemes; local authority house improvement loans; the scheme whereby local authorities can have improvement works carried out to the existing accommodation of approved housing applicants as an alternative to rehousing by the local authority; the bathrooms' sub-programme for local authority housing; the disabled persons grants scheme; and the Task Force for Special Housing Aid for the Elderly.
I intend to keep under review the need for any additional measures in this regard.