HL Deb 19 March 2003 vol 646 cc239-40

2.58 p.m.

Baroness Rawlings asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representation they have made at the Third World Water Forum in Kyoto which started on 16th March.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)

My Lords, at this moment, my colleague Elliot Morley is winging his way to Japan to take part in the forum in Kyoto. He will take the message from the UK Government that Kyoto will be an important opportunity to focus on implementing the plans that were agreed for water and sanitation at the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg last year.

Baroness Rawlings

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply and hope that the conference will deliver real practical results, rather than descending into an expensive talking shop, as the World Summit did last year. Like all Members, I recognise the importance of clean water supplies in preventing the spread of sickness and disease in poor countries. Is the noble Lord aware of the UN estimates that 5 million Iraqis lack access to safe water and sanitation? Does he agree that all conceivable and reasonable steps should be taken to ensure that military action does not disrupt the water and electricity supplies that the civilian population depends on?

Lord Whitty

My Lords, on the first part of the question, Johannesburg has achieved rather more than the noble Baroness gives it credit for. One of its achievements was agreement on the sanitation strategy. As for the situation in Iraq, the military tactics will be decided by the authorities there. However, the question of reconstruction is very central to Her Majesty's Government's concerns. I believe that the House will soon have a chance to debate that issue on a Statement.

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

My Lords, given that the House is about to see the amount of regulation that a privatised water industry requires to ensure that the less well off in society can afford water, do the UK Government support the inclusion of water in the General Agreement on the Trade in Services currently being considered by the European Union?

Lord Whitty

My Lords, England and Wales are fairly unique in having a fully privatised water and sanitation system. The trade in water services as such—as distinct from the services of water companies, which is slightly different—is dealt with separately in the European context. Nevertheless, in the world context, the role of the private sector in supplying water particularly to the third world has to be mobilised as much as aid and public funds to deliver sanitation and water to many millions of the world's population.