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Turn off the tap on corporate lobbyists
20 February 2003
The Government today published its long-awaited Water Bill, first announced by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in 1997. Friends of the Earth today welcomed the Bill but called on the Government and MPs to keep its strongest provisions intact.
The Bill includes a key clause to bring old so called `Licences of Right' in line with modern licences. The old licences pose a threat to freshwater biodiversity in the UK as they allow water companies to extract unsustainable levels of water from UK rivers, damaging wildlife and long-term water supplies. The Bill proposes a time limit for these licences [1], so they can be reviewed and reduced to sustainable volumes if necessary.
Under the current legislation, water companies would be entitled to compensation if such restrictions were imposed for environmental reasons. The new Bill will remove the right to such compensation after 2012. Several water multinationals have been at the heart of a lobbying campaign to remove the clause.
Current licence applications are subject to environmental impact assessments, ensuring the water companies do not cause unsustainable damage to the river supply.
Friends of the Earth Living World Campaigner Matt Phillips said:
"The Water Bill is very welcome and long overdue - it was promised nearly six years ago. The water multinationals have lobbied hard to get the Bill's strongest measures watered down - even claiming it's against their human rights! The Government and MPs must resist the corporate lobbyists and ensure multinationals do not become compensation millionaires at taxpayers expense."
Notes
[1] See clause 27 in the Bill
[2] A full briefing on the Bill is available from the press office at Friends of the Earth
If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.
Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
