Water bill delays may cost £265m

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Deferring water charges in Northern Ireland would cost £265m over the next three years, MLAs have been told.

The figure was given to a Stormont assembly committee by a senior official in the Department of Regional Development on Wednesday.

DUP assembly member Jim Wells said that the figures were "not encouraging".

The new Northern Ireland Executive has already set aside £75m to meet the cost of deferring the charges for the coming 12 months.

David Sterling, the department's deputy secretary, said deferring the charges for a further year after that would cost £165m rising to £265m by 2009.

Not introducing the proposed new water charges in 2007-2008 was the first decision of the power-sharing executive.

First Minister Ian Paisley said they had decided to conduct a review to address financing water and sewerage services, to be completed by the autumn.

He said not imposing the charges would save the average Northern Ireland household £100 in the year ahead.