Water white paper delayed

摘要

The water white paper has been delayed until the autumn, environment minister Richard Benyon announced on 4 April in answer to a parliamentary question.1 The white paper, announced last year (ENDS Report 428, pp 44-45), will set out how the water industry should develop over the next decade and will include policies on water resources, metering, charging and competition. ENDS understands the main reason for delay concerns proposals to extend metering. The environment department (DEFRA) is behind the move, but Number 10 does not want another unpopular environmental policy following the recent forestry fiasco (ENDS Report 433, pp 39-43).