§ 15. Mr. Parrisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his policy towards the National Water Council's consultation document, "Charging Households for Water."
§ Mr. KingAfter I have received notice from the council, following its consultation with consumers and other interested bodies on the provisional conclusions set out in its document.
§ Mr. ParrisIs my hon. Friend aware that if metering is to be voluntary, it is likely that only those people who will gain from it will want it, and the water authorities will suffer a loss of income?
§ Mr. KingThis is one of the considerations discussed in the document. I await with great interest the responses to the consultation document. There is great public concern about present methods of charging for water. That is why I asked the National Water Council to publish the consultation document. It has done so. I hope that all hon. Members will take an interest in this issue.
§ Mr. Denis HowellIs the Minister aware that the campaign for metering following this report is now shown to be a dubious economic exercise and a piece of ideological nonsense? The annual cost of installing, reading and renting a meter is likely to be about £15 a year against an average bill of £52. In addition, it will add 8 per cent. to the 20 to 30 per cent. increase on all other households that do not go in for it. Is it any wonder that the National Water Council concluded by saying that savings, even in the long term, would be insufficient to offset the cost of the metering? Will the right hon. Gentleman accept that conclusion and chop this ridiculous campaign?
§ Mr. KingThe House will have heard the right hon. Gentleman's comments. I hope that hon. Members will prefer to make up their own minds rather than adopt the closed view of the right hon. Gentleman. It is for hon. Members to study the options available and not to be preached to by the right hon. Gentleman.