§ Mr. Nicholas Edwardsasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the organisation of water services in Wales.
§ Mr. Peter ThomasThe Government have decided to create a Welsh National Water Development Authority, as part of their general proposals for the reorganisation of water services in England and Wales, which are being announced today. Regional Water Authorities are to be set up to deal with water services as a whole, and the Welsh National Water Development Authority will be constituted a Regional Water Authority for all river basins lying fully within Wales and for the Dee and Wye basins. Special arrangements are proposed for the border river basins, including the Severn basin. I am placing in the Library of the House copies of a detailed memorandum explaining these proposals which is being sent to all the bodies concerned.