§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on the disclosure of information by(a) Welsh Water and (b) other water public limited companies operating wholly or partly in Wales in the event of the privatisation of the existing water authorities; and what changes are proposed to the information water authorities currently have to make available to the public.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe underlying policy on the disclosure of information by privatised water and sewerage undertakers will be that applicable to registered limited companies rather than that appropriate to public corporations. In addition the Water Act 1989, earlier water legislation, and the conditions of appointment of water and sewerage undertakers under the 1989 Act, contain a wide range of requirements for making information available to the public, either direct or through myself, the National Rivers Authority, or the director general. For example, water undertakers will be required for the first time to publish information about the quality of water supplied for domestic purposes, both regularly and in response to individual requests for information. The National Rivers Authority will be required to maintain a public register including matters such as details of analyses of samples of effluent discharged by sewerage undertakers into controlled waters. The director general's register, which will also be a public document, will contain all key matters concerning appointments, and including information such as558W undertakings given under section 20(5)(b) relating to compliance programmes. Under section 34, I may arrange for the publication of information connected with the carrying out of water and sewerage functions as may appear to be in the public interest. And the director general's annual report, which must be laid before Parliament, will contain a general survey of developments within the scope of his functions.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what obligations he imposes on statutory water companies operating partly or wholly in Wales to disclose information about their structure, finances and activities; and what are the comparable obligations of private limited companies.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe requirements for disclosure of information about the structure, finances and activities of the statutory water companies and private limited companies are set out in company legislation.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy that full information should be accessible to the public in respect of statutory water companies operating partly or wholly in Wales to at least the same extent as any ordinary public limited company.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe Government regard the statutory water company model as an outdated method of running a business. I hope that statutory water companies will take early advantage of the opportunity offered by the Water Act 1989 to become registered companies under a simplified conversion procedure, which will bring them within the scope of the full range of modern company legislation.