HC Deb 29 March 1972 vol 834 cc426-7
33. Mr. Redmond

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from the British Waterworks Association on his proposals for the reorganisation of water services; how he has answered these; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Walker

The association has let me have its views on water reorganisation, among other matters, and these will be taken into account as part of the consultations on the Government's proposals.

Mr. Redmond

I thank my right hon. Friend for agreeing that he will take note of the consultations. Is he aware that local authority councillors and officials are not very keen on having the waterworks taken away from local government? Is he aware of the great disquiet felt by many local government officials who fear that the whole of local government might break under the strain of reorganising water services while reorganising the whole of local government as well?

Mr. Walker

Under my proposals for water reorganisation local government will play a leading part in the new water organisations that are created. If we took the view that we should not make changes because existing bodies did not like to change, we should never have introduced any form of water reorganisation at all.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that a sensible step forward would be to look at the whole regional position from the point of view of local government planning and bring water services into that concept?

Mr. Walker

But the river systems do not respect regional political boundaries. We are talking about the control of the whole river systems.