§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to introduce a statutory rebate system for water charges to lower paid customers.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneNo. It has been the policy of successive Governments that, if help is needed, it is provided through the social security system. Water services charges are taken into account when supplementary benefit is calculated, and some 3 million households already receive help in this way.