Written questions by Gardiner.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the principal statutory duties are of Thames Water Utilities Limited's licence.

Under section 37 of the Water Industry Act 1991 a water company has the duty to ensure the supply of water within its area of appointment and to develop and maintain an efficient and economical supply system for that purpose, as well as to ensure arrangements have been made for maintaining, improving and extending its water mains and other pipes. In addition, under section 94 of the Water Industry Act 1991, a water company that also holds a sewerage appointment has the duty to effectually deal with the contents of sewers and provide the necessary infrastructure for that purpose. All water and sewerage companies have the same statutory duties.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April to Question 127788 on Water Companies: Prosecutions, of the 37 completed prosecutions against Water and Sewerage Companies since 27 March 2020, how many of these prosecutions were for offences that took place before 27 March 2020.

Of the 37 prosecutions since 27 March 2020, 32 prosecutions were for offences that took place before 27 March 2020, and 5 prosecutions were for offences that took place after 27 March 2020.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to answer Written Parliamentary Question UIN 124051.

Written Parliamentary Question UIN 124051 was answered on 28 April 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to answer Written Parliamentary Question UIN 123113.

Written Parliamentary Question UIN 123113 was answered on 16 April 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many prosecutions the Environment Agency has completed against Water and Sewerage Companies for offences that have taken place since 27 March 2020.

Since 27 March 2020, there have been 37 completed prosecutions against Water and Sewerage Companies. A water quality prosecution is any criminal proceedings relating to a failure to properly manage water or sewage treatment.

Food and Rural Affairs, since 27 March 2020, how many offences relating to discharge of sewage from a water company asset have the Environment Agency prosecuted.

Since 27 March 2020, there have been 37 completed prosecutions against Water and Sewerage Companies. A water quality prosecution is any criminal proceedings relating to a failure to properly manage water or sewage treatment.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of to Question 122633, on Water Companies: Repairs and Maintenance, whether her Department will publish the initial cost information on ending operator self-monitoring that has been provided by the Environment Agency.

The Government has committed to ending Operator Self Monitoring. The Environment Agency has provided early, high‑level indicative cost estimates to support the Department’s initial exploration of options for future monitoring arrangements. These figures were produced to give a broad sense of potential scale only. Further work is now underway to develop and refine the policy options and to produce more detailed and robust costings.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the most recent legal advice her Department has been given with regards to initiating a Special Administration procedure for Thames Water.

It is a longstanding principle that Government does not comment on or publish legal advice.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the most recent advice that FTI Consulting have given the Department on placing Thames Water into a Special Administration Regime.

Any advice received from FTI Consulting in this context would be commercially sensitive, and it would not be appropriate to publish it.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings she has had with FTI consulting in which discussions took place regarding placing Thames Water into a Special Administration Regime.

Officials from Defra continue to meet with FTI Consulting to ensure that this Government is fully prepared for all eventualities, whist working with Ofwat to help support a market-led solution to the company’s issues of financial resilience and operational delivery.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will provide the names of the members of the Working Groups cites in A New Vision for Water (2026).

A wide range of stakeholders were consulted on reforms through the Independent Water Commission’s Call for Evidence, which received over 50,000 responses. Whilst there was not a formal working group for the White Paper, ahead of publication we engaged with stakeholders across the water system, including investors, water companies, consumer groups, regulators and environmental groups. We will continue to work constructively with interested parties on reforms and consult on specific measures as needed.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the list of Working Groups cited in A New Vision for Water (2026).

A wide range of stakeholders were consulted on reforms through the Independent Water Commission’s Call for Evidence, which received over 50,000 responses. Whilst there was not a formal working group for the White Paper, ahead of publication we engaged with stakeholders across the water system, including investors, water companies, consumer groups, regulators and environmental groups. We will continue to work constructively with interested parties on reforms and consult on specific measures as needed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the costs of the transition set out in the Water White Paper from four water regulators to one.

Across all our reforms the goal is to deliver our key outcomes - environment, customers, investability - in the most effective and efficient way possible to ensure lasting value.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has undertaken an analysis to assess whether using Regulated Capital Value to measure water company values provides the most accurate measure of their value since July 2024.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 March 2026 to PQ UIN 120291.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has undertaken an analysis to assess whether using Regulated Capital Value to measure water company values provides the most accurate measure of their value since July 2024.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 March 2026 to PQ UIN 120291.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her department has set a date by which it aims to have ended operator self-monitoring in the water industry.

Government has committed to ending ‘operator self-monitoring’ so water companies will no longer mark their own homework on pollution incidents. We will develop a new strengthened open monitoring approach for monitoring wastewater. This will be driven by greater digitisation and automation, making data accessible to the public in near-real time, and helping to restore public trust in the system. Water companies are already required to publish data on some sewage spills within one hour. We will roll out real-time monitoring across the wastewater system, and all this data will be made publicly available online. That will ensure that the regulator and, importantly, the public have the power to hold water companies fully accountable.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of the (a) financial and (b) non-financial costs to the public between the privatised model and public ownership of the water industry over (i) the rest of PR24 and (ii) over the following 30 years.

The Government has no intention to nationalise the water industry, and therefore has no current plans to asses the financial or non-financial costs to the public between the privatised model and public ownership of the water industry. The Independent Water Commission found no strong evidence between ownership model and performance. We are moving forward with fixing our water system, creating a powerful new water regulator to hold companies to account and prevent the abuses of the past.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of requiring all water company incidents to be attended.

The EA already operates a robust, risk-based system to respond to pollution incidents. The increase in inspections, including unannounced inspections, will allow the EA to conduct more in-depth and independent audits to get to the root-cause of incidents, reducing the reliance on operator self-monitoring. Government has committed to ending ‘operator self-monitoring’ so water companies will no longer mark their own homework on pollution incidents. Initial cost information on ending ‘operator self-monitoring' has been provided by the Environment Agency, and we will do further work to develop a detailed and comprehensive assessment as we move to Open Monitoring.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of ending operator self-monitoring in the water industry.

The EA already operates a robust, risk-based system to respond to pollution incidents. The increase in inspections, including unannounced inspections, will allow the EA to conduct more in-depth and independent audits to get to the root-cause of incidents, reducing the reliance on operator self-monitoring. Government has committed to ending ‘operator self-monitoring’ so water companies will no longer mark their own homework on pollution incidents. Initial cost information on ending ‘operator self-monitoring' has been provided by the Environment Agency, and we will do further work to develop a detailed and comprehensive assessment as we move to Open Monitoring.

Food and Rural Affairs, for the 28 enforcement undertakings accepted by the Environment Agency from water companies between 26 July 2024 and 12 February 2026, what criteria was used in the decision not to prosecute.

There have been 31 enforcement undertakings accepted by the Environment Agency from water companies between 26 July 2024 and 12 February 2026 as detailed below. Decisions regarding prosecution are made in line with the Environment Agency enforcement and sanctions policy - GOV.UK. The Enforcement and Sanctions Policy outlines the options available to the Environment Agency alongside how it makes enforcement decisions. EU REFCompanyDate of AcceptanceEU516Thames Water Utilities Ltd18/09/2024EU593Thames Water Utilities Ltd20/09/2024EU745Yorkshire Water Services Limited24/09/2024EU983Thames Water Utilities Ltd01/10/2024EU936Thames Water Utilities Ltd05/12/2024EU915Severn Trent Water Limited24/12/2024EU984Thames Water Utilities Ltd30/12/2024EU1064Severn Trent Water Limited30/12/2024EU886Thames Water Utilities Ltd06/01/2025EU1008Anglian Water Services Ltd17/01/2025EU947United Utilities Water Limited22/01/2025EU821Wessex Water Services Ltd30/01/2025EU1122United Utilities Water Limited24/02/2025EU1089Severn Trent Water Limited29/05/2025EU1147Anglian Water Services Ltd02/07/2025EU1086Yorkshire Water Services Limited24/07/2025EU1095Yorkshire Water Services Limited25/07/2025EU1149Wessex Water Services Ltd08/08/2025EU1059Yorkshire Water Services Limited29/09/2025EU1091Severn Trent Water Limited29/09/2025EU1167Severn Trent Water Limited29/09/2025EU1131Anglian Water Services Ltd30/09/2025EU1148Anglian Water Services Ltd04/11/2025EU1172Severn Trent Water Limited11/11/2025EU1154Yorkshire Water Services Limited02/12/2025EU1151Yorkshire Water Services Limited16/12/2025EU843Thames Water Utilities Ltd18/12/2025EU1152Yorkshire Water Services Limited19/01/2026EU868Severn Trent Water Limited09/02/2026EU1099Severn Trent Water Limited09/02/2026EU1159Yorkshire Water Services Limited10/02/2026