§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to use those statutory powers available to him to prosecute water authorities which do not comply with EEC directives.
§ Mr. Howard[holding answer 25 July 1989]: Where my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has enforcement powers relevant to implementation of EC directives, he will consider using them in appropriate circumstances.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring up to date the figures given in his written reply dated 16 December 1936,Official Report column 438, concerning the specified rate of return on net assets for each water authority, together with a forecast for 1990–91; and if he will include figures showing (i) the net assets in 1987–88 in each case, (ii) the realised profit in 1987–88 in percentage and cash terms, (iii) the corresponding forecast for the current financial year, (iv) the target rate of return after privatisation and (v) the estimated effect the target rate would have on the cash margin in the current financial year.
§ Mr. HowardThe water authorities' performance against their specified return on assets is set out in their published annual accounts for 1987–88, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.
Copies of their unaudited accounts for 1988–89 were placed in the Library of the House on 6 July. Copies of their final reports and accounts, which will contain a statement of their performance against the specified return on assets will be laid before Parliament in August.
No target rates of return have been set for 1989–90 or for subsequent years.