HC Deb 08 March 1978 vol 945 cc1414-5
9. Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange that payment for sewage disposal from properties not connected to the main sewers will be covered by payment of the appropriate rate, in view of the support for this course of a substantial body of informed opinion.

Mr. Marks

The Government's intentions on this problem are outlined in the White Paper, "The Water Industry in England and Wales: The Next Steps." (Cmnd 6876).

Mr. Hardy

Is it not time that we had a firm assurance of imminent progress on this subject? Does the Minister accept that comparisons are being drawn between the experience of those whose waste disposal depends on cesspools and the cost of operating a sewered service in sparsely populated or remote areas?

Mr. Marks

The legislation on those matters awaits the parliamentary timetable, and it is not a matter for me. However, the White Paper outlined ways in which these problems could be avoided. In the meantime, I cannot make directions to local authorities to act as though the implemented.

Mr. John Ellis

Will the Minister also comment on the amount of dereliction which has taken place in the provision of underground services? Is he aware that in the older areas, such as Lancashire, possibly as much as £1,000 million will have to be spent on underground sewers which are falling in and which will create a huge problem in the next decade?

Mr. Marks

This is a matter with which many regional water authorities, especially in the North-West, are greatly concerned. It is questionable whether an amount could be fixed in the way that my hon. Friend suggests, but I repeat that this is a matter of which the authorities in the areas are extremely conscious.

Mr. Arthur Jones

Following the previous Question on the limitation which the Government imposed on the borrowing by regional water authorities, will the Minister consider allowing them to go into the open market? Is the Minister aware that they have had to borrow vast sums at high interest rates of 15 per cent. or 16 per cent.? Does he agree that it would be much cheaper for them to borrow on the open market? Is it not time to implement that policy?

Mr. Marks

Interest rates have not remained at that high level, as the authorities well know from their balances this year. This matter is included in the plans for the regional water authorities and is being discussed with the National Water Council.