Minister Snubs Cornwall's Struggling Water Bill Payers

2.10.47pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 16th Apr 2007

Government Treasury Minister, Ed Balls, has today failed to respond to local MP Julia Goldsworthy's request to meet with her to discuss the impact that Cornwall's high water bills are having on poverty in the county.

During Parliamentary Questions, Ms Goldsworthy raised the matter of high water bills in the south west and the barrier they posed to the county meeting its child poverty target. The Minister failed to acknowledge the problem and did not agree to a meeting.

Commenting, Julia Goldsworthy MP said:

"It is simply unacceptable for the Minister to snub those struggling to pay their water bills in this way. This failure to respond to my very reasonable request shows that Treasury Ministers clearly have no understanding of the issue and today's answer would suggest that they're not particularly interested. I have consistently made it clear that regulatory reform is needed and action from the Treasury is therefore required.

"Due to the clean-up costs of our extensive coastline and botched Tory privatisation, water bills in the South West are higher than anywhere else in the country. By 2009, the average un-metered South West water bill will hit £675, and many pensioners are already being forced to spend approaching 10% of their income on water bills.

"This is unsustainable and Government action is urgently required. Whilst I have had productive meetings with Ministers from DEFRA, it is necessary for the Treasury to examine the regulatory issues which currently leave 3% of the population paying for the clean-up costs of a third of the country's coastline."

Ms Goldsworthy has written to Treasury Minister, Ed Balls, highlighting the problem and repeated her request for a meeting. DEFRA Minister, Ian Pearson has previously said that he would support such a meeting.