asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to make any changes to the cash limit for class X, vote 9 Department of the Environment, sales of shares in the water services public limited companies.

The cash limit for Class X, Vote 9 for 1986–87 will be reduced by £1,000,000 from £2,500,000 to £1,500,000. This decrease reflects the revised timetable for water authority privatisation which I announced to the House on 3 July 1986 at columns 1261–70. The saving will be surrendered as a reduction in public expenditure.