ARRANGEMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT SEWERAGE FUNCTIONS

HC Deb 04 May 1983 vol 42 cc369-70

Lords amendment: No. 7, leave out clause 6 and insert the following new clause— 6.—(1) The following section is substituted for section 15 of the principal Act—

"Arrangements for carrying out sewerage functions 15.—(1) It shall be the duty of every water authority and of every relevant authority whose area is wholly or partly in the area of the water authority to endeavour to make arrangements for the relevant authority to discharge, as respects their area, the sewerage functions of the water authority. (2) Schedule 4A to this Act shall have effect for the purpose of supplementing this section. (2) After Schedule 4 to the principal Act there are inserted, as Schedule 4A, the provisions set out in Schedule (Arrangements for carrying out sewerage functions) to this Act."

Mr. Deputy Speaker

With this it will be convenient to take Lords amendments Nos. 17, 20, 21 and 22.

Mr. Giles Shaw

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.

These amendments insert a new clause 6 and a new schedule into the Bill, which together will amend the legislation on sewerage arrangements between water authorities and local authorities. Hon. Members will recall that in Committee there was substantial debate on proposed amendments, under which water authorities would no longer have had a duty to seek to enter into sewerage arrangements with the local authorities, thus reversing the trend of the 1973 legislation.

The amendment restores the position of the 1973 legislation, retaining the duty to try to enter into agency arrangements with local authorities. The many provisions in the schedule and new clause were widely discussed in Committee and on Report. I believe that these arrangements will enable water authorities and local authorities together to ensure that sewerage is in future carried out as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Question put and agreed to.