§ Mr. Lennox-Boydasked the Minister for Trade when the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the sewerage functions of the Anglian and North-West water authorities will be published; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanThe report is published today. The commission has examined the efficiency and costs of the sewerage functions of the two named water authorities. In doing this the commission has also considered the efficiency of the arrangements under section 15 of the Water Act 1973, whereby district councils undertake sewerage work on behalf of water authorities. It concludes that these arrangements should generally continue, but should be altered to ensure better control by water authorities.
The Minister for Local Government and Environmental Services and I intend that the detailed recommendations about the efficiency of the two authorities will be followed up in the near future. My right hon. Friend will be consulting about the recommendations for changes to the section 15 arrangements. We have also noted the commission's recommendation that representation of consumers' interests should be improved and there is provision on this point in the newly-introduced Water Bill.
On the question of public interest the commission concluded that neither the Angliam water authority or the North-West water authority was pursuing a course of conduct against the public interest.