A HOUSE of Commons call to outlaw water prepayment 'smart cards' has come from more than 100 MPs, including Burnley and Pendle members, Peter Pike and Gordon Prentice.

In a parliamentary motion they say they are concerned over the increasing use by water companies of the cards which cut off supplies to homes if they are not topped up by cash payments.

They say the method is condemned by national consumer groups, local authority associations housing associations and environmental health bodies, which believe them to be a threat to public health and an attack on the poor.

The MPs say information about how often households with the devices disconnect themselves is not made public and calls on the Government to ensure statistics are published.

Councils throughout East Lancashire have already given their backing to High Court action to stop the use of the smart cards by North West Water.

Lancashire county has linked with other major local authorities to challenge what they see as a direct attack on the public health of the poorest members of society.

Councils like Burnley, Blackburn and Pendle are supporting the county move and claim the meters break consumer protection laws.

Burnley, which is backing its stance with hard cash to help fight the case, has already told North West Water it will not allow the special meters to be installed in any of its 5,500 local authority houses.

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