To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what alternative methods of charging for water supply and sewerage disposal for domestic customers have been discussed between him and chairmen of water companies; and if he will make a statement.
None. Subject to the general supervision exercised by the Director General of Water Services, it is a matter for each water company to decide what methods of charging to adopt for its services before charging by rateable value is prohibited in the year 2000.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the estimated costs of installing meters in all properties now charged on rateable values.
No estimates have been prepared. The cost of installing meters depends on a variety of factors and in some cases installation may not prove practical without excessive cost. I understand that information on the costs of installing meters will be contained in the second interim report on the national metering trials which the water industry intends to publish early in July. The decision whether to install meters on a wide scale will be taken by each water company, in the light of all the circumstances in its area and under the general supervision of the Director General of Water Services.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's contribution to the water meter trials by area; and what is the total cost of each water meter trial.
The latest estimated cost of each metering trial and the Government's contribution to each trial is shown in the following table:
| Total cost £ | Government contribution £ | |
| Isle of Wight (Southern Water) | 16,133,000 | 7,394,000 |
| Chandlers Ford (Southern Water) | 124,700 | 62,350 |
| Chorleywood (Rickmansworth Water Company) | 220,000 | nil |
| Briston-Hotwells (Bristol Waterworks Company) | 331,300 | 165,650 |
| Haling Park (Thames Water) | 548,400 | 274,200 |
| Bromsgrove (East Worcestershire Waterworks Company) | 382,500 | 191,250 |
| Brookmans Park (Lee Valley Water Company) | 694,200 | 347,100 |
| Turlin Moor (Wessex Water) | 197,500 | 98,750 |
| Broadstone (Wessex Water) | 307,000 | 153,500 |
| Camberley (Mid Southern Water Company) | 319,600 | 159,800 |
| Hutton Rudby (Northumbrian Water) | 331,200 | 165,600 |
| South Normanton (Yorkshire Water) | 375,800 | 187,900 |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the Director General of Water Services to ensure that competition is assured in the provision of water services in Yorkshire and value for money is obtained by consumers; and if he will make a statement.
None. The Water Act requires the director general, in carrying out his regulatory functions, to protect the interests of customers in respect of charges and other terms on which services are provided, to promote economy and efficiency on the part of appointed companies and to facilitate effective competition, subject to the primary duties to ensure that water and sewerage functions are properly carried out and that appointed undertakers can finance the proper carrying out of those functions.In setting the initial charges limits for the companies the Secretary of State was subject to the same duties. He took account of the comparative efficiency of each company and incorporated target efficiency savings in the cost projections on which the charge limits were based.