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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what requirements apply to water companies undertaking compulsory metering in areas designated as seriously water stressed in relation to (a) advance notice, (b) customer consultation, (c) access to private property, (d) internal installation, (e) reinstatement following works and (f) complaints and redress; and how compliance with those requirements is monitored.

The adequacy of South Staffs Water's metering programme is assessed through the company's statutory Water Resources Management Plan and regulatory oversight arrangements. Defra does not hold a published forecast of household meter installations by local authority and financial year. Detailed delivery assumptions are a matter for the company and regulators.