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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the regulatory framework governing water companies.

The existing regulatory system has been exploited time and time again. We are putting this right through our Clean Water Bill. We will create a single, powerful regulator with sharper oversight and clearer powers, so water companies are properly held to account. That means faster intervention when performance slips and a stronger framework to protect customers and the environment.