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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference oral contribution of 23 April 2025 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Official Report, column 1141, how much funding has been approved for projects under the Water Restoration Fund in the latest funding round.

The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April last year, is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. The Water Restoration Fund funding is based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023.

Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects.

Following a rigorous assessment process, I am pleased to say that current applicants to the Water Restoration Fund have been contacted regarding the outcome of their application. Further details regarding which projects have been successful and specific funding allocations per project will be shared in due course.