HC Deb 12 March 1981 vol 1000 cc402-3W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing average domestic water rates, by region, in each year since 1971–72; and if he will compare the increases with movements in the retail price index.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Due to the reorganisation of the water industry in 1974, reliable comparisons are available only from 1 April 1975. The following table shows how the average domestic water supply bill in each water authority area has moved when compared with movements in the retail price index over the same period.

COMPARISON OF CHANGES IN AVERAGE DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY BILL AND IN RPI PERIOD1975/76 TO 1980/81
Average Domestic Water Supply Bill
1975–1976£p 1976–1977£p * 1977–1978£p * 1978–1979£p * 1979–1980£p * 1980–1981£p * †
NorthWest 13.60 15.10 11.0 16.90 11.9 18.94 12.1 20.74 9.5 26.50 27.8 94.9
Northumbrian 11.52 13.98 21.3 18.22 30.3 17.67 (–3.0) 18.61 5.3 22.53 21.0 95.6
Severn Trent 12.40 15.15 22.2 15.71 3.7 16.17 2.9 18.55 14.7 22.38 20.6 80.5
Yorkshire 12.70 14.86 17.0 17.66 18.8 20.64 17.0 22.74 10.2 28.14 23.7 121.6
Anglian 13.54 16.96 25.3 19.96 17.7 18.80 (–6.0) 22.04 17.2 28.93 31.3 113.7
Thames 10.97 13.72 25.1 15.02 9.5 17.85 18.8 20.31 13.8 25.49 25.5 132.4
Southern 14.63 15.90 8.7 17.40 9.4 19.00 9.2 20.00 5.3 26.00 30.0 77.7
Wessex 13.50 17.46 29.3 21.29 22.0 23.63 10.9 29.12 23.2 33.48 14.9 148.0
SouthWest 16.45 20.25 23.2 23.69 17.0 24.11 1.7 27.50 14.1 31.68 15.2 92.6
Welsh 20.00 22.76 13.8 25.40 11.6 22.76 (–10.4) 25.68 12.8 30.87 20.2 54.4
National average bill 13.31 15.81 18.8 17.74 12.2 18.99 7.0 21.35 12.4 26.54 24.3 99.4
Changes in RPI (April to March) 129.1 153.5 18.9 180.3 17.5 194.6 7.9 214.2 10.1 260.8 21.8 102.0
* Percentage increase.
† Percentage increase 1980/1981 over 1975/1976.