Some have written on the subject of Water companies:
From time to time I receive requests to sign early day motions. As a
point of principle I have chosen not to sign EDMs. My view is that they achieve
very little. There are many far more effective means open to MPs to raise
issues with Government Ministers either in meetings or in the chamber.
In England and Wales, the provision of water and wastewater was taken
into the private sector. Historically, water authorities were hampered by
limits on public sector borrowing – needed then to contain inflation. There
were too often occasions when funding for state owned industries would be
announced only for it to withdrawn a few months later causing chaos and
regrettable but understandable lethargy within the sector. The cost of
implementing water quality and environmental directives set by the European
Union put ever more pressure on the industry and whilst we can all applaud the
goal, getting there with totally inadequate funding was impossible. Private
companies could and have raised the billions required and we have all seen the
incredible improvements made - albeit there is much more to do. I
regularly meet with representatives from the water industry to make the case
for specific schemes and progress on local matters.
Polls as ever are an interesting feature of many an argument. For me
there is only one type of poll that really counts. Come the election we will
all be able to test the incredulous notion that a return to inefficient, under
funded state owned monoliths is a good idea.
