§ Mr. O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will suspend expenditure by his Department on the water meter trials in the Normanton constituency until the Office of Water Services has published its consultative document in September; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryNo. The water metering trials have been set up to provide information on the costs and problems of implementing an effective metering system and to determine the impact of charging by volume on consumption. They will continue for a further two to three years and provide valuable information on costs and benefits for the water industry, Government and the Director General of Water Services which will contribute to the debate about future methods of charging.