§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the responses he has received following the suggestion that nature reserves should be privatised.
128Wthat nitrate levels in water do not increase to a level that exceeds EEC directives and endangers public health in Stoke-on-Trent and north Staffordshire; what is the cost of such action; who will bear these costs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoynihanThese are matters for the Severn-Trent water authority to consider in the first instance. I understand that no public water supplies in the areas contain nitrate concentrations which exceed the laid down in the EC drinking water directive.
§ Mr. BoyesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table in theOfficial Report showing the price of water from each water authority from 1978–79 until the latest date available, taking the 1978–79 price as a base of 100.
§ Mr. MoynihanInformation on average household bills for water supply is shown in the table, in the form requested by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. MoynihanMy Department has received a number of letters on this subject following press publicity last month which overlooked the fact that the majority of national nature reserves are already in private ownership. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) on 13 January 1988, at columns 281–82.