§ Mr. Robert Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the average increase in water prices for the domestic user in real terms for each of the last six years, in each of the English water authorities.
§ Mr. John PattenIncreases in average household bills for unmeasured consumers, deflated by RPI, for the past six years are as follows:
£ 1968–69 250 1969–70 249 1970–71 249 1971–72 262 1972–73 277 1973–74 278 1974–75† 278 1975–76 281 1976–77 257 1977–78 254 1978–79 259 1979–80 280 1980–81 294 1981–82 322 1982–83 340 1983–84 351 1984–85 356 1985–86 362 1986–87 400 * Estimated average rate bills have been inflated to 1986–87 prices by using the retail prices index for April of each year. † Figures up to 1973–74 are not comparable with those for 1974–75 and later years. This is due to the change in local authorities' responsibilities in 1974, in particular the transfer of water and sewerage services from local authorities to water authorities.