… MPs from different parties lined up to quiz the minister on how the government will tackle the crisis gripping the water sector. Among those to question Pow was Green MP Caroline Lucas.
She said: “Water companies had no debt when they were privatised. Since [then], they have borrowed £53 billion, and much of that has been used to help pay the £72 billion in dividends. Meanwhile, we have this appalling sewage scandal – particularly in the South East of England. We have a failing water company – the Southern Water company – that my constituents have no choice but to rely on and it’s considering raising bills by £279 per year by 2030, largely to pay for the investment that they should have been making in the previous years.
“Doesn’t that just show that the privatisation of water was a serious mistake and it needs to be permanently rectified?”
In an unbelievable response, Pow came back: “What I would say is that privatisation has enabled clean and plentiful water to come out of our taps.”
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Minister says water privatisation has enabled "clean & plentiful water". What?? Since privatised, water firms have borrowed a staggering £53bn, much of that to help pay £72bn shareholder dividends – while sewage pours into rivers & seas. Privatisation has utterly failed @We_OwnItpic.twitter.com/g3dLpeDdfs