HC Deb 21 November 1995 vol 267 cc443-4
1. Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the trend in water supply disconnections for non-payment of bills. [730]

The Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. John Gummer)

The downward trend in disconnections is continuing. In the six months from 1 April to 30 September 1995, domestic disconnections were down 55 per cent. compared with the same period last year.

Mr. Clifton-Brown

I thank my right hon. Friend for that encouraging answer. Does it not show that disconnections under the privatised water companies are on a continuing downward trend, and that the privatised water companies have a caring, sensitive attitude towards their customers? Is it not a disgrace that the Opposition continually denigrate the privatised water companies on the basis of the number of water disconnections?

Mr. Gummer

It is odd that, with very similar numbers in 1979, there was no complaint from the Opposition. Why are they complaining now? Because they want to smear the privatisation that works immensely well. [Interruption.] The hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) does not realise that there was an election in 1979, and we won it, as we shall win the next election.

Mrs. Helen Jackson

Is it not the case that any household without a regular supply of decent, clean running water is unfit for families to live in, and any disconnection is one too many? May I suggest that the Secretary of State's concern that Yorkshire Water does not leave houses without a proper running supply in the next few weeks actually shows that he agrees with our position on disconnections: they must not, and should not, happen?

Mr. Gummer

The hon. Lady should note first of all that during the whole period in which the Labour party was in power, it accepted that disconnection as a last resort was necessary to ensure that people who could pay but did not were not encouraged to live off the backs of those who did pay. The situation is quite simple. Disconnections take place only where somebody has not paid when they could have paid. That seems to be perfectly reasonable. When we go to ask the other customers, overwhelmingly they say that they do not want people who could pay not to pay, because in the end those who do pay, pay for those who ought to pay.

Mrs. Peacock

My right hon. Friend will be aware of the position in Yorkshire at the moment, where Yorkshire Water is going to disconnect many people by introducing rota cuts every other day. Will he assure the House and my constituents in Batley and Spen that he will not allow that order to be implemented until every source of water allocation has been very well explored?

Mr. Gummer

I willingly assure the House of that. It is the last resort of all last resorts, and the Government have ensured that we have regular reports from independent people to see that we give every possible piece of help to Yorkshire Water, which is also pressed to use every possible means of avoiding such action.

Mr. Matthew Taylor

Does the Secretary of State agree that the Government's policy on water is in a mess? In Yorkshire, people are not getting water, and the Government have no idea of the time scale for coming up with a payment system for future water payers. In the south-west, the chair of the water consumer committee, Jessica Thomas, has said that, if the cost of environmental improvements continues to fall solely on South West Water payers, £150 will be added to each individual's bill, rather than £15 if the cost were spread evenly across the country. Will not such a policy lead to more disconnections?

Mr. Gummer

For the hon. Gentleman—whose party's scheme to connect water rates with the council tax policy would increase the cost of water for the poorest—to make such a comment is interesting. The hon. Gentleman has no policy on water at all, except to complain about the Government in circumstances where one has to say that the water companies have dealt better with the worst drought that we have had for 500 years than at any time when water was nationalised. He really talks nonsense.