HC Deb 21 November 1995 vol 267 cc93-4W
Mrs. Helen Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to commission any independent research into customer satisfaction with the water industry. [129]

Mr. Clappison

This is a matter for the companies and the independent regulator for the water industry, who carry out research as appropriate.

Mrs. Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what cut-off date has been used for the collection of statistics relating to customer complaints about the water industry in the current year; [125]

(2) what categories are used to identify the subject of a customer's complaints to a water undertaker; [128]

(3) if he will list the number of (a) written and (b) telephone complaints made to each water or sewerage company in each of the five years from 1990 to 1995; and what month they are calculated from. [899]

Mr. Clappison

Information on the number of written and telephone billing complaints, and the total number of written complaints to water and sewerage companies, is published by the Office of Water Services in its annual "Report on Levels of Service for the Water Industry in England and Wales", covering the period 1 April to 31 March each year, copies of which are in the Library.

Mrs. Helen Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has the number of(a) written and (b) telephone complaints made to Ofwat regional committees in each of the years from 1990 to 1995. [900]

Mr. Clappison

Information on the number of complaints made to Ofwat regional customer service committees is contained in the individual annual reports of the committees and in the Office of Water Services' "Review of Companies' Complaints Procedures" of October 1995, copies of which are in the Library.