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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether persistent sewage discharges in breach of permit conditions constitute evidence of failure by water companies for the purposes of regulatory intervention, including Special Administration.

Environmental Performance Assessment and persistent sewage discharges in breach of permit conditions may each be relevant factors for the purpose of a number of different regulatory interventions by Regulators and, if needed, Government.