Water: Supply and Infrastructure

Lord Roborough Excerpts

Wednesday 14th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I thank the noble Earl for his question. He brings our attention to a really important aspect of the water supply. He is absolutely right that we have had dry weather; I believe it has been the driest start to the year in the north of the country since 1929. Drought plans must be produced by water companies every five years. In fact, water companies are now planning to improve drought resilience to mitigate droughts that are so severe you see them only once every 500 years. We are very serious about tackling this.

I am pleased to be able to tell the House that the Water Minister, Emma Hardy, met the National Drought Group, which is convened by the Environment Agency, earlier this month to ensure that action is taken to safeguard water supply in all areas, including farming. The farming road map, which we are due to publish later this year, will help spell out how farmers can take more control of this. We have heard today from the NFU about how it is working with Defra to pilot initiatives such as on-farm private reservoirs, which would allow farmers to use their own water rather than rely on the public supply. This would be of benefit to both farmers and the wider population.

[Lord Roborough (Con)]

It was depressing to read that water companies are already asking consumers to ration water in mid-May, with our temperate maritime climate providing ample rainfall over the winter and with water bills at all-time highs. Do the Government believe that the Cunliffe review’s terms of reference sufficiently emphasise guaranteeing supplies to avoid this situation in future?

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his question. Sir Jon Cunliffe is leading the Independent Water Commission in a once-in-a-generation review of the whole water supply system, including regulation. On its terms of reference, it can go wherever it wants in its inquiries. I am sure the noble Lord, given his interest in this area, will have made his own representations in response to the call for evidence. Again, all I can say is that we have secured over £100 billion of investment to spend on improving the water supply. I wish I could stand here and say there are many more reservoirs in train instead of just one, but there are not, and we are where we are. This Government will pick up and clean up the mess the last Government left.