Water Companies Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Charlie Maynard
Main Page: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)Department Debates - View all Charlie Maynard's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(4 days, 18 hours ago)
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Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
Charlie Maynard (Witney) (LD)
Thames Water, which serves my constituency, embodies the systemic failures of the sector. The company is in breach of its licence conditions by not having held any investment grade credit ratings for nearly the last two years and by failing to inform Ofwat and the Government of the change of control at the company. The Government have stood by and let that happen. Now, their only plan is to hand the company over to the very same creditors who have pillaged, and continue to pillage, it. They must now change course, put Thames Water into special administration and bring it out as a business that is mutually owned and operated in the interests of its customers and the environment.
I find the shadow Minister’s words extraordinary—he comes across as a corporate shill. I have provided him with information from Thames Water’s own independent expert that demonstrates that the cost to the Government will be zero in the medium term, but he has not responded. Will the Government please now put the company into special administration?