§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what restrictions will be placed on current water gathering grounds in terms of use and resale in order to secure public access to environmental amenities after privatisation of the water industry.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe Government propose that the present duty of the water authorities to have regard, in discharging their functions, to the desirability of preserving public rights of access to catchment land in their ownership should apply after privatisation to both the NRA and the privatised water undertakers.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what restrictions are envisaged in order to prevent or regulate planning applications for permanent structure on current water authority holdings after privatisation of the water industry.
§ Mr. MoynihanNo special restrictions are contemplated. Development on land owned by the water authorities is governed by the general planning legislation relevant to the area in question and the circumstances of the particular proposal. This will be unaffected by changes in the ownership of the water industry.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what valuation has taken place so far in terms of land holdings and assets of each regional water authority in preparation for the privatisation of the water industry.
§ Mr. MoynihanI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Houghton and Washington (Mr. Boyes) on 31 October at column538.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes that the privatised water companies will be open to purchase by a consortium of local authorities.
§ Mr. MoynihanI know of no powers under which a consortium of local authorities could do so and I have no proposals to enable them so to do.