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 plans to legislate to mandate the installation of smart meters for water usage.

Water companies are already able to install smart meters in homes as part of their planning and, in areas of water stress, can charge on a mandatory basis where there is overall customer support and value for money for consumers has been proved. The Government is working alongside the Ofwat Smart Meter Delivery Group to review recommendations made by Baringa in a recent report on learning lessons from energy smart metering, which includes ensuring money saving benefits for consumers are realised.