The House of Commons Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee has said it is content with the appointment of Iain Coucher as the new Chair of the water regulator, Ofwat – the body responsible for the economic regulation of the water and sewage industry in England and Wales.

Iain Coucher appeared before the Committee last week at a ‘pre-appointment hearing’, where MPs scrutinised the government’s preferred candidate for the post.

The Committee said it was satisfied that the former Chief Executive of both the Atomic Weapons Establishment and Network Rail, had the professional competence and personal independence required of the Chair of Ofwat.

However, the Committee made several observations on the appointment of the new head of the water regulation body. The Committee said in a report that it:

• was surprised that Mr Coucher had not given greater consideration to the way in which environmental sustainability should be incorporated and rewarded in Ofwat’s regulatory role, and called on him to develop strong links with the Chairs of other regulators working in the water sector;
• expected Mr Coucher to set out a detailed plan for how Ofwat will drive improved performance by water companies and to publish metrics that can be used to judge Ofwat and water companies’ performance; and
• was disappointed Mr Coucher had not displayed that he had reflected on, and learnt lessons from, previous challenges at organisations he had led.

The Committee said it was satisfied that Iain Coucher understood that a reduction in water pollution would require Ofwat to redress the balance between the dividends paid to water company shareholders and the level of investment in Britain’s water infrastructure.

Click here to download the EFRA Committee report