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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with Ofwat on the use of its increased budget to help improve enforcement activity.

Ofwat delivers enforcement activities to secure companies’ compliance with their legal obligations and improve company behaviours in order to protect the interests of customers and the environment. Where companies are in breach of obligations that it enforces, Ofwat will step in and hold companies to account through enforcement action.

At this year's multi-year Comprehensive Spending Review, HM Treasury approved Ofwat's plans to increase its budget to recruit more resources. This includes increases to its capacity and capability for enforcement Ofwat will be able to ensure its enforcement activities continue to hold water companies to account. With these additional resources, Ofwat will be better equipped to ensure that its enforcement activities continue to hold water companies accountable.