§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether all land sold by the privatised water companies which was originally acquired by compulsory purchase will be offered first at the original price to the original owner.
The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (The Earl of Caithness)Clause 143(7) of the Water Bill requires privatised water companies to obtain the consent of the Secretary of State before disposing of compulsorily acquired land. Consent may be given in specific or general authorisations. The terms of any general authorisation have yet to be settled, but we are considering a formula which would require water companies to have regard in appropriate circumstances to the Crichel Down rules. Nothing in the rules requires land to be offered back to original owners at its original price; the current market value would normally be appropriate.