Speeches by Reynolds.

“We are trying to improve the system.”

“On storm overflows or on the question you asked about breaking the law?”

“Thank you for the question. It is high on my agenda, and that of the Government, because we have seen an increasing number of big and small sites, but particularly these big sites, in different parts of the country. Some are better known than others. You will have seen that the site in Kidlington is one that, in except…”

“So you know about that, obviously. We want to improve the situation, but that is going to require once-in-a-generation reform of the system that we inherited, which has been in place, as you know, since 1989, since privatisation. Nobody is happy with the situation as we find it.”

“We are happy to reflect on that.”

“With respect, I would need to come back to you on what the OEP specifically said. What we are very clear about is that we need a complete overhaul of the water system. We need an integrated regulator, a single regulator, because as I said, the current regulators—and we have four, as you know. We have Ofwat, we have—”

“I would have to look at that specific—”

“As we discussed earlier in the Committee, one of my big priorities as Secretary of State is to clean up the waterways. As I also explained to the Committee, there is no overnight fix here. We inherited a system with a failed regulatory system—failed regulators, frankly—and water companies that on this issue and others,…”

“Yes, and we have a very small but very effective team who are going around Government as that source of expertise, offering other Departments that advice, insight and tools on how to do that. We do not want to do it for them, because it has to be their responsibility and we want them to own it, but we are providing adv…”

“I have seen some of it, yes.”

“We have huge challenges with the water system. Storm overflows are an important part of the picture, but there are other things that we are having to ask the water companies to do, too. I don’t think you can reduce it to just one measure.”

“We know that some Departments encounter this more as part of their daily work. I do not know if it is a case of needing more support or senior leverage, but we are continuing our work to make sure that every Department is engaged. Where Departments are used to working on issues that affect the environment daily—for exa…”

“Can I jump in here? We will need to check on and come back to you on some of the things that Mr Wilson is asking about. It is not to say that, particularly in the first couple of areas, we do not do that, but we need to check and come back to you, if that is okay.”

“Thanks for the question. You are absolutely right to highlight this as an issue. We want to work to protect and restore peatlands. There have been various issues. You have touched on one of them. Sally, do you want to say something?”

“I do not know if we will repeat that specific piece of research, but I would imagine that we will provide further updates on the effectiveness of EPPS. We will be looking at the effectiveness of the whole of the Environment Act over the next year, so I am sure we will be coming back to the Committee.”

“You will not be surprised to hear that we work closely with MHCLG on this. The consultation that we are doing on the new NPPF contains, as you will know, a new requirement for SuDs—sustainable drainage systems—to be designed in accordance with new national standards that were published last year. I don’t know, David, i…”

“We are working very closely with MHCLG on the NPPF. Obviously, there are some outstanding issues. There is joint decision making across the two Departments on the NPPF.”

“We have not responded to Fingleton yet, but we are working across Government, as you would expect, on that response. I cannot really say anything beyond that for the time being.”

“We are involved, obviously, in the Government’s response to Fingleton. I cannot disclose the decision making that goes on in Government, but we will be responding in the coming weeks.”

“I respect the work of the OEP, and we work closely with it, as you do. I do think that the Government need space to be able to take decisions collectively and to do so while taking into consideration all the different parts. I was trying to convey that, when I was a Minister in the Treasury and in the DWP, I was more a…”