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To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what definition her Department uses of a failing water company for the purposes of regulatory intervention.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what definition her Department uses of a failing water company for the purposes of regulatory intervention.
All regulatory intervention is considered based on the specific facts and circumstances at the time.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment and research has been undertaken by her department of the performance of Northern Ireland water as a nationalised utility, including its handling of water pollution, as a potential model for water services in England.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment and research has been undertaken by her department of the performance of Northern Ireland water as a nationalised utility, including its handling of water pollution, as a potential model for water services in England.
The Government commissioned the Independent Water Commission which scrutinised different ownership models, including Northern Ireland Water.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Environment Agency made of the adequacy of Capita Pension Solutions' performance on other public-sector pension administration contracts before exercising the option to extend its contract for administration of the Environment Agency Pension Fund.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Environment Agency made of the adequacy of Capita Pension Solutions' performance on other public-sector pension administration contracts before exercising the option to extend its contract for administration of the Environment Agency Pension Fund.
The Environment Agency Pension Funds (EAPF) contract was awarded in accordance with procurement regulations applicable at the time. As part of the decision to exercise the option to extend its administration contract with Capita Pension Solutions (CPS), the EAPF undertook an assessment and due diligence on the performance of other public sector pension contracts.
The EA is a separate contracting authority, and the EAPF contract is separate from other CPS public-sector pension administration contracts. The EAPF has in place an 8-year contract with CPS. During the initial four-year term of the contract, CPS met its contractual service standards with the EAPF in full. Conscious of the experience of other public sector pension contracts, the EAPF considered potential performance risks and put in place mitigations to provide assurance that CPS would continue to meet its contractual service levels throughout the extension period.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what metrics her Department and Ofwat use to assess whether a water company has failed to meet its statutory obligations under the Water Industry Act 1991.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what metrics her Department and Ofwat use to assess whether a water company has failed to meet its statutory obligations under the Water Industry Act 1991.
Water companies' principal statutory duties are set out in the Water Industry Act 1991. Under section 37 of the Water Industry Act 1991 a water company has the duty to ensure the supply of water within its area of appointment and to develop and maintain an efficient and economical supply system for that purpose. In addition, under section 94 of the Water Industry Act 1991, a water company that also holds a sewerage appointment has the duty to effectually deal with the contents of sewers and provide the necessary infrastructure for that purpose.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether persistent sewage discharges in breach of permit conditions constitute evidence of failure by water companies for the purposes of regulatory intervention, including Special Administration.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether persistent sewage discharges in breach of permit conditions constitute evidence of failure by water companies for the purposes of regulatory intervention, including Special Administration.
Environmental Performance Assessment and persistent sewage discharges in breach of permit conditions may each be relevant factors for the purpose of a number of different regulatory interventions by Regulators and, if needed, Government.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the difference between grounds for special administration based on (a) insolvency and (b) performance failure in relation to Thames Water.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the difference between grounds for special administration based on (a) insolvency and (b) performance failure in relation to Thames Water.
The statutory grounds for placing a water company into a Special Administration Regime (SAR) are set out in the Water Industry Act 1991 and apply consistently across all water companies.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a company's environmental performance rating as assessed by Ofwat's Environmental Performance Assessment forms part of the criteria for determining regulatory failure.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a company's environmental performance rating as assessed by Ofwat's Environmental Performance Assessment forms part of the criteria for determining regulatory failure.
Environmental Performance Assessment and persistent sewage discharges in breach of permit conditions may each be relevant factors for the purpose of a number of different regulatory interventions by Regulators and, if needed, Government.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what steps she has taken to ensure Grafham Water can be refilled to 100% this winter following the exceptionally dry weather this summer.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what steps she has taken to ensure Grafham Water can be refilled to 100% this winter following the exceptionally dry weather this summer.
A drought permit application is expected from Anglian Water in early October to support refilling Grafham Water if sustained rainfall is received. The Great Ouse Catchment System Plan partnership project has been formed to identify and track sources of nitrate and develop strategies to reduce it.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to improve air quality in Royal Sutton Coldfield.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to improve air quality in Royal Sutton Coldfield.
Under the Environment Act 1995, local authorities are responsible for addressing areas where air quality objectives are exceeded and developing local action plans.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the abstraction licensing regime in providing protection for water resources during periods of prolonged drought in water-stressed areas such as Suffolk.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the abstraction licensing regime in providing protection for water resources during periods of prolonged drought in water-stressed areas such as Suffolk.
The Environment Agency protects rivers and groundwater through abstraction licence conditions and restrictions. The Government is improving resilience.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in what ways citizen science water quality monitoring groups will be involved in the development of regional water resources plans where they are not represented on Regional Water Planning Steering Groups.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in what ways citizen science water quality monitoring groups will be involved in the development of regional water resources plans where they are not represented on Regional Water Planning Steering Groups.
We are investing in citizen science to improve environmental understanding and generate high-quality evidence to solve water system problems. Government has doubled support to catchment partnerships and funded Water Environment Improvement Fund projects which support development of citizen science. Catchment Partnerships will ensure regional plans are grounded in local knowledge.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of South Staffs Water’s compulsory universal metering programme; and how many household meters the company is expected to install in each financial year from 2025–26 to 2034–35, by local-authority...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of South Staffs Water’s compulsory universal metering programme; and how many household meters the company is expected to install in each financial year from 2025–26 to 2034–35, by local-authority...
The adequacy of South Staffs Water's metering programme is assessed through the company's statutory Water Resources Management Plan and regulatory oversight arrangements. Defra does not hold a published forecast of household meter installations by local authority and financial year. Detailed delivery assumptions are a matter for the company and regulators.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the risks posed to recreational water users, including paddlers, by sewage discharges such as those affecting Torbay; and what steps she is taking to ensure the Clean Water Bill addresses the health...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the risks posed to recreational water users, including paddlers, by sewage discharges such as those affecting Torbay; and what steps she is taking to ensure the Clean Water Bill addresses the health...
Public health is being prioritised. The Clean Water Bill will deliver cleaner rivers, lakes, and seas, including by providing the legislative tools to ensure targets are ambitious and enabling pre-pipe solutions to reduce sewage spills.
The Environment Agency (EA) monitors water quality at designated bathing waters, including 15 in Torbay, testing for bacteria which indicate faecal contamination and potential risks to human health. Where bathing waters have poorer or deteriorating water quality, the EA works with partners to understand the causes and identify opportunities for improvement. This helps people to make informed choices about where and when to enter the water.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what level of debt-to-equity ratio and other financial resilience thresholds her Department considers indicative of a water company's failure to manage its affairs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what level of debt-to-equity ratio and other financial resilience thresholds her Department considers indicative of a water company's failure to manage its affairs.
Ofwat issues clear guidance on efficient debt-to-equity ratios and on higher debt-to-equity ratios which are inconsistent with good financial resilience. It considers that 55% is an efficient ratio and that gearing above 70% may present a risk to long-term financial resilience. Some water companies have significantly higher debt than these thresholds. In the Water White Paper, the Government committed to consider how the regulator can work with companies and investors to ensure companies do not accumulate unmanageable levels of debt.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether local authorities can set their own noise limits for (a) domestic air conditioning units and (b) domestic air to air heat bumps.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether local authorities can set their own noise limits for (a) domestic air conditioning units and (b) domestic air to air heat bumps.
The requirements for noise assessments and/or the setting of noise limits are for local planning authorities to decide as part of their planning responsibilities, unless installations fall within the specifications of permitted development rights, where defined standards apply.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has given to local authorities on BS4142 entitled noise assessments in relation to the installation of (a) standalone air conditioning units and (b) air to air heat pumps in dwellings; and whether councils can set...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has given to local authorities on BS4142 entitled noise assessments in relation to the installation of (a) standalone air conditioning units and (b) air to air heat pumps in dwellings; and whether councils can set...
The requirements for noise assessments and/or the setting of noise limits are for local planning authorities to decide as part of their planning responsibilities, unless installations fall within the specifications of permitted development rights, where defined standards apply.
Motion that this House has considered e-petition 762640 relating to a referendum on public ownership of the water sector. Agreed to on question. Sitting adjourned without Question put.
Motion that this House has considered e-petition 762640 relating to a referendum on public ownership of the water sector. Agreed to on question. Sitting adjourned without Question put.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy. I offer my sympathy to the Prime Minister on the loss of his father. Losing a parent hurts, whatever age you are. I thank my hon. Friends and other hon. Members for being so kind when I lost my...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy. I offer my sympathy to the Prime Minister on the loss of his father. Losing a parent hurts, whatever age you are. I thank my hon. Friends and other hon. Members for being so kind when I lost my...
We are looking at all of the sector and what can be done right across it. The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear, in all the comments he has made, that, in his words, the current water sector is “a leaking monument” to a system that prioritises private over public....
We are looking at all of the sector and what can be done right across it. The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear, in all the comments he has made, that, in his words, the current water sector is “a leaking monument” to a system that prioritises private over public....
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of South West Water’s leakage performance on customer’s bills; and whether the Government is taking steps to ensure that customers do not face increased charges where significant quantities of treated...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of South West Water’s leakage performance on customer’s bills; and whether the Government is taking steps to ensure that customers do not face increased charges where significant quantities of treated...
Ofwat set specific performance commitments for water companies including on leakage. South West Water continues to underperform on leakage, and the company did not meet its 2024 target. Government expects Ofwat to enable fair prices for customers through the setting of licence conditions and guaranteed service standards. To further support this, Government is enabling the largest smart meter rollout to date over this price review to protect customer bills by, identifying and eradicating leakage.