§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons are currently employed in each of the following services: (a) water undertakings and (b) public transport; and if he will give these figures for one year previously and for 1960.
§ Mr. John SilkinThe nine English regional water authorities employ 61,098 persons, according to the latest available figures. I understand that, in addition, the Welsh National Water Development Authority employs 5,083 persons. The equivalent totals in 1974 were 54,098 and 4,764. In each of these two years water 713W company employees numbered approximately 9,000. I regret that it is not possible to provide a corresponding figure for 1960 for employees of predecessor bodies responsible for services now discharged by water authorities.
The number of employees of the public transport industries, including air, sea, rail and road transport, in Great Britain is as follows, according to Department of Employment statistics:
June 1975 613,000 June 1974 596,000 June 1960 852,000