§ 50. Sir T. BRAMSDONasked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the difficulties in which many statutory water companies now find themselves owing to their inability to increase their revenue sufficiently to meet their seriously increased and still increasing expenditure and owing to the fact that they are now charging up to their statutory limits, and that consequently their dividends are in many cases being reduced to vanishing point, and that it is therefore impossible or exceedingly difficult in many cases to raise capital for the necessary extensions which have now been suspended for so many years, it is the intention of the Government to introduce general legislation, and, if so, when, enabling the charges of water companies to be varied to meet the altered conditions?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have been asked to reply to this question. The subject has already been under consideration, and it is proposed to introduce general legislation as early as practicable.
§ Sir T. BRAMSDONHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to the importance of keeping our water supplies in an efficient state and to the desirability of bringing the matter forward as soon as possible?
§ Dr. ADDISONI am fully aware of the importance of the matter.