PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
WATER KEY PREPAYMENT DEVICES (6 May 1996)

That this House is concerned at the increasing use by water companies of the prepayment water key timing device, which shuts off the water supply to a dwelling when the payment card has not been recharged, thus making it technically unfit; stresses that other chargecard easy payment systems are available which do not disconnect; notes that the National Consumer Council, the Consumers Association, the National Federation of Housing Associations, local authorities, and the Institute of Environmental Health are all opposed to the use of these devices, believing them to constitute a threat to public health and an attack on the poor; is very concerned that information about how often households with this device disconnect themselves is not made public; and calls on the Government to ensure that the numbers are published by the Water Regulator, along with the disconnection figures due out next month.

Sponsored by:
Helen Jackson (Labour)