§ Mr. Nicholas Bakerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to provide direct election of members of water authorities.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneNo.
§ Mr. Thurnhamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what methods are used to measure the efficiency of water authorities; if he will produce a table showing how each authority in England compares in efficiency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneWater authorities produce an extensive series of performance indicators each year, based on agreed standard definitions. The latest series may be found in authorities' 1983–84 annual reports, copies of which have been placed in the Library. For further information, I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction on 10 December 1984 in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Langbaurgh (Mr. Holt) at column396, when he reported the performance of English water authorities against their 1983–84 performance aims.