HC Deb 02 July 1975 vol 894 cc1446-7
7. Mr. Cryer

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to allow representatives to area water boards to be directly elected.

The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Mr. Denis Howell)

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said in the House on 27th June 1974, he proposes to review the progress of the water industry next year. The way in which members of the water authorities are selected will certainly be included.

Mr. Cryer

Does my hon. Friend agree that many water boards, often without representatives even from local authorities within their area, have wide powers to raise charges with it is incumbent upon the local authorities to charge'? Many boards have huge areas of land, some leased to business men for grouse shooting, and large areas of water, some of which are used in a very exclusive manner? Does my hon. Friend agree that a democratic opening-up would be an important prelude to changing some of those policies?

Mr. Howell

The majority of the members of every regional water authority are elected representatives of local authorities, from top-tier authorities. I entirely agree with my hon. Friend that the water authorities have a prime duty to open up the resources at their disposal for the recreation of the whole community and not for any exclusive section of the community. The Government will be pressing to ensure that they adopt such policies.

Sir W. Elliott

Despite what his hon. Friend has just said, will the Minister ensure that people with sufficient knowledge of the water industry are given the opportunity to give the benefit of their immense fund of advice?

Mr. Howell

Professional and technical advice can be hired, and in my view should be hired. I very much support my hon. Friend's main contention that public services of this sort should be under the control of elected representatives, although I prefer them to be people elected to local authorities and then appointed in that way. However, I take the essential point. I think that at present anyway in regional water authorities there is a majority of such people, and the minority come from the more professionally interested, technical services and other outside interests, which I regret to say were not very well balanced politically when they were appointed by the previous Government.

Mr. Roderick

Will my hon. Friend bring forward his review because of the deep dissatisfaction in Wales over the disparity in charging mechanisms between the authorities? We urgently need a review, because action must be taken within the next 12 months.

Mr. Howell

Charging policy in Wales is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. Since, however, the whole of my constituency gets its water from Wales, I have a peculiar interest to declare.