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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what transitional governance arrangements she plans to put in place before the establishment of a single integrated water regulator; which body will be responsible during that transition for coordinating functions exercised by Ofwat, the Environment Agency, the Drinking Water Inspectorate and the Consumer Council for Water; and whether she plans to publish a transition plan.

Work is already underway to support transition arrangements, including the appointment of Professor Dame Julia Black as Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State on Water Reform Transition to inform the strategic design of the new regulator and oversee transition arrangements. The Clean Water Bill was announced as a second session Bill in the King’s Speech and will be introduced in due course.