UNITED Utilities is set to record staggering profits of more than £1 million A DAY, it has been claimed.

The firm, which owns North West Water and Norweb, is being tipped to make a record £377 million profit for 1996/97 - a 38.3 per cent jump on last year's £272.6 million.

Details of increases by the big ten privatised water companies will be announced over the next few weeks.

It is estimated they will break the £2 billion barrier for the first time.

United Utilities was today described as having "a licence to print money," by one election candidate.

Hyndburn Labour candidate Greg Pope said: "The figure is incredible.

"What this highlights is the need for a windfall tax where money will be used for work programmes for the young and long-term unemployed. "Unfortunately bills cannot just be lowered because you can't regulate a privatised firm. The consumer is being ripped off."

Margaret Smith, regional director of Ofwat's North West Customer Service Committee, said she hoped customers would see some benefit from the profits.

She said: "We have always said that customers should be treated as fairly as shareholders.

"They have had rebates of £6.50 and £10 but there is always more that can be done."

A United Utilities spokesman said today: "We will be announcing our financial position on May 29 and we never comment on speculative figures."

Tomorrow, a delegation from the North West and North Wales Anti-Poverty Forum will meet North West Water chairman, Sir Desmond Pitcher, to voice concern about the company's use of prepayment water devices and will hand over a 10,000 signature petition collected from residents.

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