§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average water rate levied in each water authority area and in the United Kingdom as a whole; and by how much those rates have increased in real terms since 1979.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThis information is set out in the table in respect of water authorities in England and Wales. For the rest of the United Kingdom, I will ask the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland to write to the hon. Member.
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Water service charges England and Wales 1979–80 compared to 1985–86 Average household bill for water services Water authority 1979–80 £ 1985–86 £ Percentage increase 1979–80 to 1985–86 North West 37.90 77.57 105 Northumbrian 33.94 80.38 137 Severn-Trent 40.51 76.16 88 Yorkshire 39.36 82.30 109 Anglian 48.83 105.98 117 Thames 38.62 80.75 109 Southern 43.80 91.72 109 Wessex 57.22 95.35 67 South West 54.57 104.59 92 England (average) 41.47 84.56 104 Welsh 49.08 103.91 112
Water authority 1979–80 £ 1985–86 £ Percentage increase 1979–80 to 1985–86 England and Wales (average) 41.98 85.85 105 RPI (March) 210.6 366.1 74 * Provisional figures.