asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of his estimate that it would cost some £1,000 million as a capital expenditure to have metered all domestic water users in England, he will offer a development contract to British industry to find a cheaper method of achieving the same end.

We have no plans to do so. A working party, set up by the National Water Council, is already looking into problems associated with the extension of optional metering to domestic households and I have no doubt that they will take note of my hon. Friend's suggestion.