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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of bringing water companies into public ownership on (a) bills and (b) infrastructure investment.

Independent research commissioned by the Consumer Council for Water found substantial change to the industry and company ownership would not address the main problems experienced. Nationalising a water company would cost billions of pounds, and it would take years to unpick the current ownership model. It would frankly slow down our reforms, leave the sewage pollution only to get worse and stall much needed investment.

The Independent Water Commission is looking at the ownership, governance, and management of private water companies and whether more needs to be done to support transparency and accountability, which could include stronger duties for management. Further recommendations will follow in the final report.