The only way to solve England’s water crisis is state control | Letters

Dr Ruth Sinclair and Dr Jill Vincent suggest replacing Ofwat’s monetary fines with state-owned voting shares of equivalent value. Plus a letter from John Lockwood The behaviour of private water companies is widely recognised as unacceptable: they flout regulations, cause significant environmental harm, neglect their responsibilities, and still pay enormous sums to directors and shareholders. Ofwat’s rulings and fines appear ineffective, often penalising consumers (Letters, 18 August), while renationalisation is dismissed as prohibitively expensive.We propose an alternative means of controlling private-sector companies – replace Ofwat’s monetary fines with state-owned voting shares of equivalent value. This approach would have several immediate benefits. By exercising shareholder rights, the state – on behalf of the public – could directly influence company policies; the public purse would gain revenue from dividends; and over time, as the state’s shareholding increased, full nationalisation would become financially feasible.Dr Ruth Sinclair and Dr Jill VincentLoughborough, Leicestershire Continue reading...

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