PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
PANORAMA AND WATER PRICE INCREASES (26 March 1995)

That this House congratulates the Panorama programme in highlighting the way in which the water industry, since privatisation, has put the interests of its shareholders and executives before the public interest; is appalled that this year's water and sewerage price increases will breach the Government's own price cap for 93 per cent. of households, that this is far more than the rate of inflation and more than for any other utility; believes that the figures have been fiddled so that they present an average increase which meets the price cap, whilst industrial users and the vast majority of households that pay water rates are bearing the costs of the Government's drive to press ahead with it policy of unpopular widespread metering; and believes that the Regulator has failed in his duties (a) not to discriminate between different classes of customer and (b) to control and monitor the necessary spending of the companies on sewer maintenance, and has totally failed to listen and respond to the public in his regulatory role.

Sponsored by:
Helen Jackson (Labour)