§ Mr. ThorntonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment with reference to his announcement of charges to be introduced through a new clause in the Water Bill, how the figure of £800 per dwelling for new128W water and sewerage infrastructure and services was calculated; how soon he will be able to make more accurate figures available; and how these charges will vary across the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. HowardThe figure was an estimate of the average cost per new connection of investment in additional water supply and sewerage capacity, excluding infrastructure which could be requisitioned under clause 40 or clause 70 of the Water Bill (as amended by the House of Lords). Individual limits for water authorities will be included in their instruments of appointment published in August, and it is intended to give provisional figures for statutory water companies at the same stage with firm limits following in the autumn.