§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby on 25 February relating to the number of employees in the water authorities, what is his analysis of the reasons for the 8 per cent. increase which has taken place during the period 1 April 1975 to 1 April 1979.
§ Mr. FoxI have not a detailed analysys; that would be a management matter for the water authorities themselves. I am aware, however, that the increase has been due, in part at least, to authorities not taking over initially full staff numbers from their predecessors, to the need to man new installations, to their meeting new commitments such as safety and health requirements, and to the introduction of direct billing.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment by how many the Severn Trent water authority has increased its employees for the period 1 April 1975 to 1 April 1979.
§ Mr. FoxI refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Scunthorpe (Mr. Brown) on 20 December 1979—[Vol. 976, c. 388.]
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to the reply to the hon. Member for Rugby on 25 February, if he will take steps to obtain from the water authorities information of future trends in numbers employed by them for the years ending 1 April 1980 and 1 April 1981.
§ Mr. FoxWe shall, at meetings with the water authorities, be discussing, amongst other matters, their use of manpower and this will raise the question of future trends. We shall be impressing on authorities the need for economy in use of this as well as other resources.