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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve the regulation of water companies.

The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, examined how to strengthen the regulation and delivery of water services to better support long-term water security, sustainable growth, and environmental protection. The Commission's final report was published on 21 July 2025, and the previous Secretary of State provided an Oral Statement to Parliament in response.

As outlined in the statement, the Government is immediately taking forward a number of Sir Jon’s recommendations. This includes establishing a new, powerful and integrated regulator with water functions from Ofwat, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

This is not the limit of our ambition. The Government will respond to Sir Jon’s recommendations in full via a White Paper, and a new water reform bill that we will introduce early this Parliament.