HC Deb 10 July 1974 vol 876 cc482-3W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people are now employed by the regional water authorities, the Central Water Planning Unit, and the National Water Council; and how these figures compare with the numbers of staff previously employed by the various river authorities and the Water Resources Board.

Mr. Denis Howell

The regional water authorities employ 53,642 people, the Central Water Planning Unit 60 and the National Water Council 236. The river authorities previously employed 7,832 people and the Water Resources Board employed 150. As the functions of the regional water authorities and the National Water Council are quite different from those of the river authorities and Water Resources Board, no comparison is, of course, possible.

Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total establishment for each regional water authority and for each water division.

Mr. Denis Howell

As the regional water authorities face very different problems, they have not organised themselves on any uniform pattern; and as they are still reshaping their organisations, their establishments are not yet firm. The number of people employed by each authority is:

North West Water Authority 9,350
Northumbrian Water Authority 1,810
Severn Trent Water Authority 9,800
Yorkshire Water Authority 5,678
Anglian Water Authority 6,730
Thames Water Authority 12,000
Southern Water Authority 4,200
Wessex Water Authority 2,104
South West Water Authority 1,970

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