HC Deb 23 January 1989 vol 145 cc462-3W
Dr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the cost and proportion of annual expenditure spent on advertising and publicity by each water authority for the last five years.

Mr. Ridley

[holding answer 19 January 1989]: This information is not held centrally. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman writes to each water authority.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in the light of his policy for comparative competition within the water industry, if he will indicate the main financial indicators of cost comparison he has already applied to regional water authorities, and if he will publish a table in theOfficial Report showing their respective performance for the latest convenient financial year, in pence per thousand gallons.

Mr. Moynihan

[holding answer 19 January 1989]: The Government have set performance aims for the water authorities' real terms operating costs for three consecutive three year periods, the last ending in 1989–90. Performance against the aims is reported in the authorities' annual reports and accounts which are laid before Parliament. In setting the Performance aims the Government make use of a series of performance indicators which standardise operating cost measures in terms of equivalent population in each water authority.

The performance indicators are published as a five-year rolling series in the water authorities' annual reports and in Waterfacts which is also available in the Library. Performance indicators in terms of pence per thousand gallons are not available.

Ms. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take to reduce the aluminium content in the water supplied to consumers in Halifax.

Mr. Moynihan

[holding answer 19 January 1989]: Last year three of the water supplies to Halifax exceeded the aluminium standard in the EC drinking water directive. One of these supplies now complies and the other two should comply by 1990. Current aluminium concentrations are not considered to be a health risk.