North West Water

EDM number 977 in 1990-91, proposed by Peter L Pike on 17/06/1991.

That this House is concerned at the proposed reductions in North West Water group's major capital refurbishment expenditure programme to show the new following out-turn spends:- Cheshire ú3.9 million, Cumbria ú2.85 million, Lancashire ú6.19 million, Manchester East ú6.02 million, Manchester West ú3.18 million, Merseyside ú3.18 million, and Wigan ú2. 69 million; notes that those reductions are despite an increased profit for 1990-91 announced on 4th June of ú214.5 million and the acquisiton of Wallace and Tiernan Group, based in the United States of America, and Edwards and Jones (Holdings) Ltd., based in the United Kingdom, at a total cost of ú87 million; believes that these reductions show that the privatised water industry's prime concern is to make profit for shareholders and is indicative of the problems referred to in the Chairman's letter to honourable Members of 4th June which stated 'There are pressures from the National Rivers Authority and others for further and faster improvements than those that have been costed and included in our programme....I cannot say at this stage what part charges might also need to play if more is to be done quicker.'

This motion has been signed by a total of 38 MPs.