Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans her Department has in place should Thames Water enter special administration.

The Government will always act in the national interest. While the company is stable, we stand ready for all eventualities – including being ready to apply for a Special Administration Regime if necessary.

A Special Administration order is a well-established mechanism to ensure the company continues to operate and customers continue to receive their water and wastewater services. The bar for entering a Special Administration is understandably high.