MPs approve Iain Coucher for Ofwat chair

MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee have approved Defra’s preferred candidate for the new chair of Ofwat, Iain Coucher.

Following a pre-appointment hearing, the Committee said it was satisfied Coucher (pictured) had the professional competence and personal independence required, and that he “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”.

However the committee – chaired by, now disgraced MP, Neil Parish before he resigned at the weekend – made the following “observations”:

• 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 link with the chairs of other regulators working in the water sector;

• it expected 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

• it was "disappointed Coucher had not displayed that he had reflected on, and learnt lessons from, previous challenges at organisations he had led.”

This last point related to questions pursued at the hearing about regulatory interventions during Coucher's time as chief of the Atomic Weapons Establishment, and about allegations about a culture of bullying at Network Rail during his time as chief executive there.

Coucher responded robustly on both counts, including to say there was an extensive investigation at Network Rail and “we did not find any evidence of bullying”.