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

What plans he has to tackle water scarcity.

The Government recognises continued action is required, and it is committed to a ‘twin track approach’ of managing water demand, including leakage reduction, and increasing supply, in parallel. The Government’s National Policy Statement for water resources infrastructure, currently undergoing parliamentary scrutiny, will streamline the planning permission process. The Government will also be launching a call for evidence on an ambitious target for per capita consumption in May.