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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the new integrated water regulator for England will be formally established.

The Government has set out its ambition to create a powerful new water regulator, bringing together the relevant functions from the existing regulators (Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, Environment Agency and Natural England) into one new body. This will replace the current fragmented system with one regulator capable of integrated management of the water system.

We will legally establish the new regulator as soon as possible following passage of a water reform bill, which we intend to bring forward during this parliament. We will introduce the bill when parliamentary time allows.

Until the single water regulator is fully established the existing regulators will continue to carry out their functions and enforcement responsibilities in full.