§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the National Rivers Authority in respect of limiting new, and renewing, licences for water extraction by non-domestic users; and what was the result of those discussions.
§ Mr. MacleanIt is for the NRA to consider applications on their merits in the light of the authority's general duty to take steps to conserve, redistribute or otherwise augment water resources in England and Wales, and to secure their proper use.