House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 18 Dec 2003 (pt 10)

18 Dec 2003 : Column 1038W—continued

Water Bills

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average household water bill was in (a) England and (b) each English region in each financial year since 1996–97. [142272]

Mr. Morley: Water bills and sewerage bills are set separately by each water and sewerage company and water company in England and Wales. The boundaries of these companies do not conform to the boundaries between England and Wales nor to the boundaries between English regions. It is therefore not possible to provide the information on exactly the basis sought.

The average household water and sewerage bills in England and Wales in each financial year since 1996–97 are set out as follows.

£

Average household water bill Average household sewerage bill

1996–97 101 117

1997–98 106 123

1998–99 112 131

1999–2000 112 134

2000–01 103 116

2001–02 105 119

2002–03 110 121

2003–04 111 125

	Average household water bill	Average household sewerage bill
1996–97	101	117
1997–98	106	123
1998–99	112	131
1999–2000	112	134
2000–01	103	116
2001–02	105	119
2002–03	110	121
2003–04	111	125

The following tables set out average water bills and average sewerage bills for each company in England and Wales for the same period.

Average household water bill£

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04

Water and sewerage companies

Anglian 128 126 124 116 107 110 113 116

Hartlepool 88 91 96 95 — — — —

Dwr Cymru 128 135 136 134 126 123 124 122

North West 93 99 101 103 103 107 109 118

Northumbrian 96 98 102 100 88 88 88 90

Essex and Suffolk 116 120 127 129 107 112 111 113

Severn Trent 88 97 105 113 106 108 108 112

South West 127 129 125 119 109 110 115 121

Southern 94 101 105 111 91 91 90 91

Thames 88 93 99 102 95 99 104 106

Wessex 114 118 124 124 107 112 113 119

Yorkshire 104 105 108 111 100 103 104 110

York 87 89 93 96 87 90 90 94

Water only companies

Bournemouth and W. Hampshire 94 97 103 102 99 98 101 102

Bristol 100 104 108 111 101 105 106 107

Cambridge 103 106 106 98 86 87 90 94

Cholderton 126 130 151 136 130 141 153 143

Dee Valley — — — 120 107 106 104 106

Chester 106 108 108 — — — — —

Wrexham 130 129 129 — — — — —

Folkestone and Dover 114 118 116 117 118 125 125 135

Mid Kent 131 135 141 146 117 123 127 128

Portsmouth 72 72 73 74 74 75 75 76

South East — — — — 118 114 121 126

South East 156 155 158 159 — — — —

Mid Southern 114 115 116 120 — — — —

South Staffs 75 78 81 85 84 86 86 89

Sutton and East Surrey 136 135 139 134 112 120 121 126

Tendring Hundred 149 150 152 151 137 142 146 153

Three Valleys 107 112 117 124 106 111 112 116

North Surrey 108 112 123 126 109 111 103 110

	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
Water and sewerage companies
Anglian	128	126	124	116	107	110	113	116
Hartlepool	88	91	96	95	—	—	—	—
Dwr Cymru	128	135	136	134	126	123	124	122
North West	93	99	101	103	103	107	109	118
Northumbrian	96	98	102	100	88	88	88	90
Essex and Suffolk	116	120	127	129	107	112	111	113
Severn Trent	88	97	105	113	106	108	108	112
South West	127	129	125	119	109	110	115	121
Southern	94	101	105	111	91	91	90	91
Thames	88	93	99	102	95	99	104	106
Wessex	114	118	124	124	107	112	113	119
Yorkshire	104	105	108	111	100	103	104	110
York	87	89	93	96	87	90	90	94

Water only companies
Bournemouth and W. Hampshire	94	97	103	102	99	98	101	102
Bristol	100	104	108	111	101	105	106	107
Cambridge	103	106	106	98	86	87	90	94
Cholderton	126	130	151	136	130	141	153	143
Dee Valley	—	—	—	120	107	106	104	106
Chester	106	108	108	—	—	—	—	—
Wrexham	130	129	129	—	—	—	—	—
Folkestone and Dover	114	118	116	117	118	125	125	135
Mid Kent	131	135	141	146	117	123	127	128
Portsmouth	72	72	73	74	74	75	75	76
South East	—	—	—	—	118	114	121	126
South East	156	155	158	159	—	—	—	—
Mid Southern	114	115	116	120	—	—	—	—
South Staffs	75	78	81	85	84	86	86	89
Sutton and East Surrey	136	135	139	134	112	120	121	126
Tendring Hundred	149	150	152	151	137	142	146	153
Three Valleys	107	112	117	124	106	111	112	116
North Surrey	108	112	123	126	109	111	103	110

18 Dec 2003 : Column 1039W

Average household sewerage bill£

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04

Anglian 154 158 164 156 144 151 157 163

Dwr Cymru 136 146 158 166 140 147 152 155

North West 109 122 133 143 119 122 113 116

Northumbrian 113 118 126 141 110 112 96 101

Severn Trent 106 112 117 115 92 95 211 221

South West 202 213 229 237 205 203 152 159

Southern 131 141 152 162 148 153 93 95

Thames 93 98 102 104 92 95 122 127

Wessex 129 135 142 144 124 133 133 142

Yorkshire 113 115 118 123 109 112 112 117

	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
Anglian	154	158	164	156	144	151	157	163
Dwr Cymru	136	146	158	166	140	147	152	155
North West	109	122	133	143	119	122	113	116
Northumbrian	113	118	126	141	110	112	96	101
Severn Trent	106	112	117	115	92	95	211	221
South West	202	213	229	237	205	203	152	159
Southern	131	141	152	162	148	153	93	95
Thames	93	98	102	104	92	95	122	127
Wessex	129	135	142	144	124	133	133	142
Yorkshire	113	115	118	123	109	112	112	117

The above companies also provide sewerage services to water only companies.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Give as You Earn Scheme

John Barrett: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many and what percentage of House of Commons staff contribute to a charity through the Give as You Earn scheme; how much money is donated to charity per month by staff through the scheme; and what steps the Commission is taking to encourage greater participation in the scheme by staff. [143909]

Sir Archy Kirkwood: 59 members of staff currently contribute to charity under the Give as You Earn scheme. This represents 3.6 per cent. of permanent staff on the payroll. The amount contributed in November was £1,467.13. The Board of Management encourages charitable giving, and details of how to contribute through GAYE are set out in the staff handbook. The last significant promotional activity was in 1999–2000 when the Charities Aid Foundation visited staff to encourage them to take up GAYE.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Equal Pay

John Barrett: To ask the Minister for Women what action she has taken to support women to challenge pay discrimination in the workplace; and if she will make a statement. [142610]

Ms Hewitt: The Government is taking action to make it easier for women who have been discriminated against to take up equal pay cases with their employers. This includes the introduction of a questionnaire procedure that will help resolve matters in the workplace and measures to simplify and speed up equal pay tribunal

18 Dec 2003 : Column 1040W

procedures. The equal pay questionnaire came into effect on 6 April 2003 and enables individuals to request key information from their employers right at the start when they are deciding whether to bring a case. The frequent lack of transparency on pay has helped perpetuate the gender pay gap. The questionnaire will help individuals, often women, to establish whether they actually are being paid less than their comparators and, if so, why. Establishing the key facts quickly could encourage the issues to be settled without resort to tribunal, benefiting both employers and employees. We are looking at further ways to speed up and simplify complex equal value cases and will be consulting on proposals shortly. The Government also believes that carrying out an equal pay review should be good business practice for every employer and has developed a number of initiatives to help them, including funding the Equal Opportunities Commission to develop equal pay tool kits.

John Barrett: To ask the Minister for Women what discussions she has had with trade unions regarding the formulation of a development plan to tackle gender pay discrimination in the workplace. [142611]

Ms Hewitt: As a Government, we are committed to working in partnership with the trade union movement and others to tackle the barriers facing women in the workplace and reduce the gender pay gap. We provided additional funding of £151,867 (on top of an initial £145,000) to trade unions, for training representatives in equal pay issues in the workplace. The trade unions were fully consulted on the pay reviews of Civil Service Departments and supported the comprehensive guidance issued by the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office continues to have an open dialogue with the trades unions on progress across the Civil Service. We have a target that the Government will work with businesses and trade unions, the Equal Opportunities Commission and Opportunity Now towards ensuring that 35 per cent of large organisations have done pay reviews by 2006. We have provided the EOC with funds to take a sectoral approach to promoting equal pay reviews. We are also promoting pay reviews through the

18 Dec 2003 : Column 1041W

Castle Awards, now incorporated in the 100 Best Companies To Work For, to recognise steps taken by employers of all sizes and in all sectors to promote equality of opportunity between men and women and to address the issues of pay inequality.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Business Investment

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what she attributes the percentage change in business investment during 2002. [143426]

Ms Hewitt: Business investment fell by 3.5 per cent. in 2002, following a combined 32 per cent. rise between 1997 and 2001. A number of investments planned for 2002 were deferred. The unexpected severity of the global economic slowdown in 2001 and added uncertainty in 2002 impacted on investment and business confidence across industrialised countries.

Business investment is forecast to have grown by ¾ per cent. in 2003, with growth accelerating to be at least 3 per cent. in 2004 and 5½ per cent. in 2005.

Call Centres

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many call centre jobs have been lost in the UK in the last six months. [143372]

Ms Hewitt: I refer to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 20 November, Official Report, column 1438W. The Government does not have statistics on the numbers of jobs outsourced abroad. Importantly, estimates such jobs take no account of the inflows of jobs created through the UK's success in international markets.

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