Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat), on Wednesday, 7 January 2004, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 52 members in total.

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WATER COMPANIES AND FLOODING

That this House is concerned about the rise in foul and surface water flooding resulting in long-term damage to property and the environment across the country; recognises that a prime cause is an ageing and failing national sewerage system suffering from long-term underinvestment and thus increasingly unable to meet modern drainage demands; is dismayed that while failing to make cost efficiency gains water companies have instead continued to under-invest in drainage infrastructure in order to maintain shareholders' dividends; is extremely concerned to find that in the Asset Management Planning Round 4 (2004-2009) these same water companies are seeking to justify a price increase of an average ??72 per household to make good their progressive failure to invest in the nation's drainage infrastructure; and calls upon the Government to take action through the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, DEFRA and Ministerial Guidance to OFWAT to ensure that water companies are obliged to make repair and upgrading of their sewerage systems a high priority and that the cost of this essential investment be borne fairly between customers and shareholders.

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

372 

Session

2003-04

Other sponsors

Bob Spink

Lindsay Hoyle

Lynne Jones

Mike Hancock

Norman Baker

Subjects

Finance Repairs and maintenance Water companies Sewers

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk