Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce water (a) usage and (b) bills in her Department; and if she will make a statement.

The Department for Education has made significant reductions to both its water usage and associated bills.

Total water use has been reduced by 43% since 2009-10, and the number of its offices falling within good and best practice office water benchmarks has been increased from 39% to 58% during the same period.

These improvements have primarily been achieved by: installing efficiency devices such as tap aerators; flow control valves; and leak reduction work.

In taking this action, the Department has reduced its annual water bill by £107,000 since 2009-10, and continues to work towards identifying even greater efficiencies.