HC Deb 29 June 1994 vol 245 cc546-7W
Mr. Streeter

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for the reorganisation of water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland in advance of the privatisation of these services.

Mr. Jacques Arnold

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for the reorganisation of water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland in advance of the privatisation of these services.

Mr. Tim Smith

As my hon. Friend, the then Minister of State made clear to the House on 20 April 1993, the Government remain committed to the privatisation of water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland as soon as practicable, but will not be able to do so, for tehnical reasons, during the lifetime of the present Parliament. In the interim, I have decided that the Water Executive of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, which is responsible for the delivery of water and sewerage services, should become a "next steps" agency not later than April 1996. This will enable the Water Executive to operate as a separate unit in the Department, within a framework of appropriate efficiency targets and performance measures, and will build on work to develop the commercial orientation of the organisation.