Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Environment – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 February 1991.
Although I welcome many of the proposals in the Water Act 1989, which gives the National Rivers Authority far greater powers, I urge my right hon. Friend to make far greater use of the "polluter pays" principle so that the pricing policy of companies takes into account their responsibility towards the environment—a responsibility which will be met through their own financial incentives.