Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with water companies about the steps they are taking to (a) fix leaks and (b) invest in improved infrastructure.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is taking action to reduce water wastage, tackle leakage and improve water infrastructure. We have set an interim target to reduce leakage by 30% by 2032 and expect Ofwat to challenge water companies to halve leakage by 2050. Through Price Review 2024, Ofwat requires companies to reduce leakage by 17% over 2025-30, supported by around £700 million for pressure management, fixing leaks and replacing mains. A further £1.7 billion has been allowed for 10.4 million smart meters, helping companies identify leaks through more timely and accurate data. Water companies must set out how they will secure future supplies in statutory Water Resources Management Plans, including through demand reduction and new water resources infrastructure such as reservoirs, transfers desalination and water recycling. The Water White Paper also commits Government to developing statutory resilience standards, so companies make forward-looking, long-term assessments of their systems.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help improve (a) ageing and (b) insufficient water infrastructure.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is taking action to reduce water wastage, tackle leakage and improve water infrastructure. We have set an interim target to reduce leakage by 30% by 2032 and expect Ofwat to challenge water companies to halve leakage by 2050. Through Price Review 2024, Ofwat requires companies to reduce leakage by 17% over 2025-30, supported by around £700 million for pressure management, fixing leaks and replacing mains. A further £1.7 billion has been allowed for 10.4 million smart meters, helping companies identify leaks through more timely and accurate data. Water companies must set out how they will secure future supplies in statutory Water Resources Management Plans, including through demand reduction and new water resources infrastructure such as reservoirs, transfers desalination and water recycling. The Water White Paper also commits Government to developing statutory resilience standards, so companies make forward-looking, long-term assessments of their systems.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle water wastage.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is taking action to reduce water wastage, tackle leakage and improve water infrastructure. We have set an interim target to reduce leakage by 30% by 2032 and expect Ofwat to challenge water companies to halve leakage by 2050. Through Price Review 2024, Ofwat requires companies to reduce leakage by 17% over 2025-30, supported by around £700 million for pressure management, fixing leaks and replacing mains. A further £1.7 billion has been allowed for 10.4 million smart meters, helping companies identify leaks through more timely and accurate data. Water companies must set out how they will secure future supplies in statutory Water Resources Management Plans, including through demand reduction and new water resources infrastructure such as reservoirs, transfers desalination and water recycling. The Water White Paper also commits Government to developing statutory resilience standards, so companies make forward-looking, long-term assessments of their systems.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of water shortages on (a) the general population and (b) businesses.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The threat of climate change is driving more frequent hot and dry summers, increasing the UK’s risk of drought with far-reaching impacts on both water supply for our use and on the natural environment. Government recognises the challenges drought brings and understands a secure water supply is critical to our environment, economy, health, and livelihoods.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to address water shortages.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty under the Water Industry Act 1991 to produce and maintain Statutory Drought Plans, which set out how companies operationally respond to droughts. They must also produce Water Resources Management Plans, which outline how they will provide secure water supplies over 25 years, which include strengthening drought resilience and managing supply and demand.
Government has committed to cutting leakage, increasing efficiency through water re-use, mandatory water efficiency labelling and accelerated rollout of smart meters, alongside delivering nine new reservoirs, delivered as part of a record £104 billion investment into the sector. In response to this year’s drought, Government and the Environment Agency increased the frequency of National Drought Group meetings, bringing together key partners to assess the situation, hold water companies to account and ensure coordinated action.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent future water shortages.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty under the Water Industry Act 1991 to produce and maintain Statutory Drought Plans, which set out how companies operationally respond to droughts. They must also produce Water Resources Management Plans, which outline how they will provide secure water supplies over 25 years, which include strengthening drought resilience and managing supply and demand.
Government has committed to cutting leakage, increasing efficiency through water re-use, mandatory water efficiency labelling and accelerated rollout of smart meters, alongside delivering nine new reservoirs, delivered as part of a record £104 billion investment into the sector. In response to this year’s drought, Government and the Environment Agency increased the frequency of National Drought Group meetings, bringing together key partners to assess the situation, hold water companies to account and ensure coordinated action.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to strengthen water security.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty under the Water Industry Act 1991 to produce and maintain Statutory Drought Plans, which set out how companies operationally respond to droughts. They must also produce Water Resources Management Plans, which outline how they will provide secure water supplies over 25 years, which include strengthening drought resilience and managing supply and demand.
Government has committed to cutting leakage, increasing efficiency through water re-use, mandatory water efficiency labelling and accelerated rollout of smart meters, alongside delivering nine new reservoirs, delivered as part of a record £104 billion investment into the sector. In response to this year’s drought, Government and the Environment Agency increased the frequency of National Drought Group meetings, bringing together key partners to assess the situation, hold water companies to account and ensure coordinated action.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle droughts.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty under the Water Industry Act 1991 to produce and maintain Statutory Drought Plans, which set out how companies operationally respond to droughts. They must also produce Water Resources Management Plans, which outline how they will provide secure water supplies over 25 years, which include strengthening drought resilience and managing supply and demand.
Government has committed to cutting leakage, increasing efficiency through water re-use, mandatory water efficiency labelling and accelerated rollout of smart meters, alongside delivering nine new reservoirs, delivered as part of a record £104 billion investment into the sector. In response to this year’s drought, Government and the Environment Agency increased the frequency of National Drought Group meetings, bringing together key partners to assess the situation, hold water companies to account and ensure coordinated action.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) suitability and (b) sustainability of water resources in Nottinghamshire in preventing regional water shortages.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) continually assesses water availability and manages abstraction licences to balance the needs of people, industry and the environment. Recognising the long-term impacts of climate change, it supports a national strategy to improve future water resilience, including for Nottinghamshire. The EA restricts abstraction during dry periods to protect the environment, works with abstractors to understand future demand, and supports resilience projects such as new reservoirs. It also reviews water companies’ long-term plans to ensure they can meet future needs and adapt to climate change, population growth and increasing pressure on water resources.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of judicial penalties for fly-tipping offences.
Answered by Mary Creagh
The Waste Crime Action Plan sets out that we will work closely with the Ministry of Justice and their partners to explore whether penalties for waste criminality reflect the severity of the crime, and if not, what more can be done to ensure that those who commit these offences will face appropriate punishment. Any changes will build on the existing penalties regime.