Water Prices

EDM number 1080 in 1993-94, proposed by Dafydd Wigley on 20/04/1994.

That this House notes with concern the continuing escalation of water and sewerage charges, over and above the level of inflation; notes in particular that the average charges for households in Wales for 1994-95 will be ú256, compared to ú233 for 1993-94, an increase of 9.8 per cent; recalls that the formula for constraining the increase in charges (R.P.I. + K) allows only an increase of 6.4 per cent in Wales this year; is dismayed that the Director General of OFWAT is not empowered to restrict charge increases for households within the limit because he has to consider the weighted average charge increase, and this allows water companies to reduce or freeze charges for industrial or commercial customers, while passing on a disproportionate increase to domestic customers; asserts that this system leads to a totally unacceptable burden for pensioners, the unemployed and low income families; and calls on the Government to introduce urgently proposals to limit water price increases, and to modify legislation to this end.

This motion has been signed by a total of 19 MPs.