§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the water companies that have had complaints sent to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission over the cost of water pipes to new homes since privatisation; and if he will list the complaints received, by company.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryComplaints about the actions of, and charges imposed by, water and sewage undertakers fall to be dealt with in the first instance by the customer service committees established by the Director General of Water Services. Reference of any individual complaint to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission is a matter for decision by the director general.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the amount charged by individual water companies for connection to the water system for(a) new homes and (b) new businesses; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmorySection 79 of the Water Act 1989 enables water and sewage undertakers to levy charges to cover the cost of additional infrastructure required to meet the demands of new customers. The initial limits, which were set by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, are listed in the table. These charges are payable on the provision of new supplies or sewerage services for domestic purposes and are in addition to the longstanding arrangements for the provision of local infrastructure through requisitioning payments and connection charges.
Water service companies: Water and sewerage infrastructure charge limits (at 1990–91 prices) Water £ Sewerage £ Anglian Water Services Limited 479 597 Southern Water Services Limited 365 485 Thames Water Utilities Limited 403 337 Yorkshire Water Services Limited 529 626 Northumbrian Water Limited 111 240 North West Water Limited 198 338 Severn Trent Water Limited 498 356 Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig 259 332 South West Water Services Limited 654 557 Wessex Water Services Limited 551 983
Statutory water companies: water infrastructure charge limits (at 1990–91 prices) £ Bournemouth 1,000 Bristol 439 Cambridge 1,000 Cholderton 201 Colne Valley 435 East Anglian 1,000 Eastbourne 1,000 East Surrey 251 East Worcestershire 576 Essex 404 Folkestone 998 Hartlepool 252 Lee Valley 808 Mid Kent 1,000 Mid Sussex 392 Mid Southern 700 Newcastle 216 North Surrey 392 Portsmouth 358 Rickmansworth 395 South Staffs 606 Sunderland 485 Sutton 254 Tendring Hundred 1,000 West Hampshire 868 West Kent 834 York 222 Chester 758 Wrexham 390