Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce water (a) usage and (b) bills in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

In the last two years, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has implemented, or is implementing, the following measures to reduce water consumption in its UK estate:

•Reducing water flow pressure

•Adjusting urinal flushing

•Installation of shower and tap regulators

•Installation of single flush toilets and low flush urinals

•Water softening on data-centre chilled water system

•Installation of more efficient washing machines

•Installation of toilet cistern water saving devices

•Extensive installation of water sub-meters

•Analysis of water consumption per building to identify waste

•Grey water harvesting at our Hanslope Park data-centre building

•Water audit at Hanslope Park

•Leak detection

By the quarter July to September 2014, these measures had reduced water consumption by 27.5% compared to the same period in 2013. That represents an annual water saving of 18,256m3.

There have been no specific actions yet to renegotiate water tariffs.