§ *SIR SAMUEL SCOTT (Marylebone, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is prepared to insert in the London Water Bill a clause protecting the consumers of water in the area of the Metropolis supplied by the Middlesex Water Company, from the loss of the discount on their water rates to which by law they are now entitled.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)Under clause 35 of the Bill the scale of water charges enforceable by the West Middlesex Company will continue in force until repealed, altered or superseded. The powers of the Water Board in this matter will be precisely similar to those of the Company at the present time, and I do not propose to insert any special provision in the Bill on the subject. I do not express any opinion as to the legal right of consumers, but no such right which now exists would be taken away by the Bill.