Water Act 1989

84 Government financial assistance for companies wholly owned by the Crown. E+W

(1) Subject to section 92(1) below, the Secretary of State may, with the consent of the Treasury, lend such sums as he thinks fit to any company which is the nominated holding company of a successor company and is for the time being wholly owned by the Crown.

(2) The Secretary of State may, with the consent of the Treasury, guarantee, in such manner and on such conditions as he may think fit, the repayment of the principal of, the payment of interest on and the discharge of any other financial obligation in connection with any sum which is borrowed from any person by any company which—

(a) is a successor company or the nominated holding company of such a company; and

(b) is wholly owned by the Crown at the time when the guarantee is given.

(3) Subject to section 86 below, any loans which the Secretary of State makes to a company under this section shall be repaid to him at such times and by such methods, and interest thereon shall be paid to him at such rates and at such times, as he may, with the consent of the Treasury, from time to time direct.

(4) The Treasury may issue out of the National Loans Fund to the Secretary of State such sums as are required by him for making loans under this section.

(5) Any sums received under subsection (3) above by the Secretary of State shall be paid into the National Loans Fund.

(6) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State as respects each financial year—

(a) to prepare, in such form as the Treasury may direct, an account of sums issued to him in pursuance of subsection (4) above and of sums received by him under subsection (3) above and of the disposal by him of the sums so issued or received; and

(b) to send the account to the Comptroller and Auditor General not later than the end of the month of August in the following financial year;

and the Comptroller and Auditor General shall examine, certify and report on the account and shall lay copies of it and of his report before each House of Parliament.