Drinking Water Mr. Simon Hughes To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the operation of the drinking water inspectorate; and if he will make a statement.-------------------------- | | -------------------------- | | -------------------------- |North | -------------------------- |Yorkshire and Humberside| -------------------------- |East Midlands | -------------------------- |East Anglia | -------------------------- |South East: ||||||| -------------------------- |London | -------------------------- |Rest of South East | -------------------------- |South West | -------------------------- |West Midlands | -------------------------- |North West | -------------------------- |England | -------------------------- In 1988 private enterprise housebuilding was at its highest since 1973. Because of the need to raise interest rates to keep down inflation the fall during 1989 and early 1990 is not surprising. Interest rates will remain at current levels as long as is necessary to defeat inflation.