§ Mrs. Helen JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will act to ensure that properties used for charitable or community use such as churches have concessionary standing charges for their water payments.
§ Mr. MacleanNo. Water companies are private companies and their charges must cover their costs and it is for them to decide their tariffs subject to the Director General of Water Services' duty under section 2(3)(a) of the Water Industry Act 1991, to ensure that their pricing is not discriminatory. The Director General recognises that standing charges may represent a large proportion of water charges for some customers and has asked water companies to consider their tariff structures to ensure that they reflect the true costs of supply in different cases.