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22 March 2007

GOVERNMENT COMPLETES CONSULTATION ON DRAFT LICENCE

The consultation exercise on the Draft Instrument of Appointment for Northern Ireland Water Limited (otherwise known as the Licence) has been completed.

The Department for Regional Development announced the completion today. The Draft Licence was released for a ten week public consultation in December 2006 during which the Department received a total of 20 responses. The comments made in the responses have now been carefully considered and the Consultation Report sets out the main points raised and how the Licence has been amended to take comments received into account.

The Licence is expected to be issued shortly and will take effect from 1 April 2007.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The ten week public consultation period on the draft licence started on 4 December 2006 and closed on 9 February 2007.
  2. A copy of the consultation document was issued to over 500 organisations and individuals as part of the Department’s normal distribution arrangements for public consultation.
  3. Details of comments received and downloads of the final draft licence are available on the Water Reform website www.waterreformni.gov.uk.
  4. The licence is the commonly used term when referring to the Instrument of Appointment provided for in Part III of the Water and Sewerage Services Order (NI) 2006 for appointing and imposing conditions on an undertaker.
  5. The Water and Sewerage Order (NI) was made at Privy Council on 14 December 2006.
  6. The final draft licence is drafted as subordinate legislation to the Water and Sewerage Services Order (NI) 2006 and contains 16 separate conditions.
  7. The licence binds NIWL operations and will be enforced by the Economic Regulator (NIAUR) through powers granted by the Order.
  8. On 10 August 2004 Government announced that the role of the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (NIAER) would be expanded to include the regulation of Northern Ireland’s water and sewerage industry in 2006. NIAER currently regulates the electricity and gas industries in Northern Ireland and with effect from April 2007 will become known as Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (NIAUR).

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