§ Mr. LeighTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether domestic rateable values will continue to be used for water charging purposes once they are abolished for local authority purposes.
§ Mr. MoynihanIt is clearly not in the interests of consumers that the water industry should continue to use rateable values for water charging purposes indefinitely, once domestic rates are abolished for local authority purposes from 1990. The Government therefore intend to amend the Local Government Finance Bill to prohibit the use of all rateable values, both domestic and non-domestic, for water charging purposes from 1 April 2000. This will give each water undertaker a period of 10 years after domestic rates are abolished in which to choose and introduce alternative means of charging.