Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps his Department is taking to assist lower income households in receipt of income related benefits in paying water bills;

(2) what steps his Department is taking to increase the take-up by eligible lower income households of Government-sponsored measures aimed at assisting them in paying water bills.

Ian Pearson: A cross-Government steering group was set up to review the way in which lower income households are helped with their water and sewerage charges. Ministers' decisions following the review are set out in the Cross-Government Review of Water Affordability Report, which was published in December 2004. In line with the review's recommendations:

(i) the Vulnerable Group's Regulations were extended in 2005 to increase eligibility;

(ii) DEFRA, Ofwat and the Consumer Council for Water have been working with water companies on measures to increase take-up of the Vulnerable Groups Scheme;

(iii) a pilot study currently under way in the South West is looking at the combined impacts of several measures on water affordability, including benefit entitlement checks, meter installation and water efficiency measures. We expect the results of the pilot study in summer 2007; and

(iv) the Government, Ofwat and water companies are co-operating to investigate the likely distributional consequences of alternative tariffs, especially for those on lower incomes.