§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements have been made for a review of water authority land holdings.
§ Mr. HowardMy right hon. Friend has appointed, jointly with the nine water authorities in England, the following firms of surveyors, to carry out a review of land holdings:
- Anglian water authority—Jones Lang Wootton
- Northumbrian water authority—Sanderson Townend and Gilbert
- North West water authority—Grimley J. R. Eve
- Severn Trent water authority—Bernard Thorpe and Partners
- Southern water authority—Hillier Parker
- South West water authority—Chesterton
- Thames water authority—Healey and Baker and St. Quintin
- Wessex water authority—J. P. Sturge and Sons
- Yorkshire water authority—Savills
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has appointed the firm of Gerald Eve, jointly with the Welsh water authority. This review will help ensure that the prospectuses of the new water public limited companies contain any information about the land which is relevant to investors' decisions on whether to apply for shares.