UNITED UTILITIES, LATERAL DRAINS AND PRIVATE SEWERS

That this House notes and supports the Government's intention to transfer private sewers and lateral drains to water and sewerage companies in England by 2010; expresses concern that United Utilities is pre-empting this matter by using their existing powers to charge residents for rectifying faulty or wrongly connected drains in advance of the proposed transfer; and calls on the Government to hold urgent talks with United Utilities with a view to persuading them to cease this unacceptable practice.