§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what his Department estimates will be the result of privatisation on the debt burdens of the current water authorities; and what effect this will have on the Government's policy towards water authorities being self financing;
(2) what information his Department currently holds on the likely dividends to shareholders resulting from water privatisation;
(3) what his Department estimates will be the gross yield per annum of dividends to shareholders, assuming the whole water industry is privatised simultaneously, exempting those aspects of it which will be the responsibility of the National Rivers Authority;
(4) what his Department estimates will be the effect on overheads and administrative costs of the water industry as a result of (a)changes in executive salaries and (b)registration and servicing of shareholders; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoynihanIt would be premature to speculate about the magnitude of the sums involved in the questions raised by the hon. Member.