§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the monthly cost of water bills in the pilot scheme in the Isle of Wight involving water meters differed from previous costs before the introduction of water meters.
§ Mr. HowardThe tariff used in the meter trials on the Isle of Wight have been set so as to recover the same amount of income in total from the island as would have been recovered under a rateable value basis. It is, however, too early to say to what extent individual bills will differ as customers on the island will not receive their first metered hills until October.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there has been any formal evaluation of the pilot scheme for water meters in the Isle of Wight; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardSome preliminary results from the Isle of Wight and other metering trials were set out in the first interim report which was published last February. Other reports will be published from time to time over the next three years as information on various aspects of the trials becomes available.