§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which water companies in England and Wales take account of ability to pay in levying charges.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe Director General has a duty to set price limits at levels which enable companies to finance their functions as water undertakers, which at the same time protect the interests of water consumers. He is also required to act so as to avoid pricing which discriminates against different classes of customer. The Director General of Water Services has issued guidelines to the companies on their dealings with customers who have difficulty in meeting their charges. His guidelines encourage the introduction of frequent payment options, extending the range of payment facilities which they make available, and early contact with customers.
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§ Mr. BoothTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the sum of money granted by Her Majesty's Government in grants and loans to water boards in England in the 10 years before their privatisation; and if he will place a schedule of payments, board by board, in the Library.
§ Mr. AtkinsPrior to 1989, when the water authorities were privatised, as with other nationalised industries, the Government controlled their borrowing through external financing limits. Details of these EFLs can be found in the relevant annual reports and accounts. Information about grants made to water authorities between 1979 and 1989, which included grants to assist with flood defence and land drainage, can be found in the supply estimates for the Department of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Copies of the water authority annual reports and the two Departments' supply estimates are available in the Library of the House.