MPs CONTINUE CAMPAIGN FOR FAIRER WATER BILLS

2.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Sep 2009

Cornwall's Lib Dem MPs have stepped up the campaign for fairer water bills with their latest submission to the review into water charging in England and Wales.

The Independent Review of Charging for Household Water and Sewerage Services, led by Anna Walker, published its interim report in June inviting responses by the end of August. The review will make final recommendations in the autumn.

Despite pressure to consider Cornwall's beaches as a national treasure, which should be paid for by the whole nation, the interim report noted that "costs should reflect regional differences and that water prices should continue to be regionally based and geographically averaged."

This would leave South West Water customers with the highest bills in the country, a problem that started with the botched privatisation of water in the 1980s.

Cornwall's MPs have long campaigned for changes to the system. With a coastline and beaches of national importance, they argue that these are costs that should be more fairly distributed.

Commenting, Julia said:

"In our submission we continued to argue that maintaining our coastline is a benefit to the whole nation, and that these costs therefore should be more fairly spread. People should not be penalised for where they live.

"With water bills in the South West currently 26% higher than the national average action is needed now - we need change to give new help to help all those struggling to pay high water bills, and a fair distribution of environmental clean up costs across the UK."