§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Given that they are required by the Treaty of Rome to operate the "polluter pays" principle, and that the Department of the Environment is the lead department for the policy, on what grounds they have decided that the consumer of water is to pay for its clean-up and not the polluter.
The Earl of CaithnessHer Majesty's Government have consistently supported the "polluter pays" principle, which requires that the cost of meeting pollution control regulations should be borne by the activity concerned. It is not formally incorporated in UK law, although it is reflected, for example, in parts of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. The cost of treating and purifying water to render it fit for human consumption has always been borne by the water undertakings and recovered from charges made to consumers.