§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
How the new powers granted to British Waterways will be affected by proposals in the Water Bill to create licensed water suppliers only for supply to the largest 2,000 sites. [HL4445]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)The competition provisions in the Water Bill will further open undertakers' public water distribution networks to competition. The canal network under British Waterways is not part of this system. Anyone may apply for access to the canal network and this will not change.
British Waterways' proposals for expanding the use of the canal network for the supply of water are not directly affected by our proposals. Watergrid, the joint venture company, will be able to offer direct supply to users from canals and could also seek to become a licensee in order to obtain access to the statutory undertakers' distribution networks.