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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of re-establishing regional water authorities on (a) service delivery and (b) accountability.

The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, will recommend reforms to reset the water sector regulatory system and is expected to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation. It is considering a wide range of areas, including different water company ownership models, as set out in the Commission’s Call for Evidence. The Commission is expected to publish its recommendations later in the summer.

The Commission is also looking at the broader strategic planning framework in England and Wales to support more integrated planning and coordination between different sectors. On regional governance, the Commission is considering options for an authority working at a national, regional or catchment level to support better and more coordinated planning on water.