§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to limit the expenditure of the governing bodies of water and sewerage authorities.
§ Mr. Denis HowellIt is for each water authority to decide what levels of expenditure are necessary to meet their statutory obligations. My right hon. Friend does, however, approve the programme of capital expenditure to be undertaken by each water authority, and that expenditure is subject to current restraints on public expenditure generally. It is, of180W course, essential that the provision of water and sewerage services should as far as possible correspond to the needs of housing and industrial development and public health.