HC Deb 15 January 1985 vol 71 c96W
Mr. Warren

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the increased revenue to the Southern water authority which will arise from the planned increase in charges for each of the next three years can be spent by the authority on capital works without any constraints imposed by Her Majesty's Government.

Mr. Macfarlane

The Government set financial targets and external finance limits for water authorities each year. The higher financial target being set for 1985–86 should allow Southern water, consistently with its external finance limit for that year, to increase its spending on capital works by about 10 per cent. and further increases are provisionally planned for later years.