Written questions by Perteghella.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Ofwat in regulating water companies.

The previous Government weakened the regulators and failed to hold water companies to account. The new Government’s water (Special Measures) Bill will give Ofwat tough new powers to hold water companies to account where they do not deliver for customers and the environment. This Bill is just the start of the fundamental and much broader transformation that the Government will lead for the water industry. The Government will carry out a review to shape further legislation that will fundamentally transform how our water system works and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

Whether she has made an assessment of (a) the impact of share buybacks on economic inequality and (b) the potential impact of a targeted tax on this issue.

Share buybacks are already subject to taxation in the form of Stamp Taxes on Shares (STS), which raise important revenue – up to £4.4bn per year – that helps to fund our public services. There are also rules in place to ensure that any returns that arise to shareholders as part of a buyback are treated consistently with the policies and principles that underpin the broader tax system. The Government keeps all taxes under review.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure the UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocations are protected from future budget cuts.

The Government is committed to delivering economic growth across the country and is considering how to best fund long-term local funding in line with wider fiscal and economic priorities. We will begin setting these plans out Autumn Budget in October and at the Spending Review this spring.We appreciate that those delivering UKSPF have an understandable desire for certainty about its future. We are giving full consideration to this matter, including the hard work undertaken on projects to date. We will continue to work closely with our key stakeholders and will utilise their feedback as we determine our approach going forward.Decisions regarding funding beyond March 2025 are a matter for the next fiscal event.

If she will make it her policy to bring forward legislative proposals for a compensation scheme for women who are (a) born in the 1950s and (b) not notified of changes to the age at which they could claim the State Pension.

As a newly formed Government we will need time to review and consider the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation. This Government respects the work of the Ombudsman. Now the election has concluded we need to consider the views that have been expressed on all sides. The issues outlined in the report are significant and complex, as such they require serious deliberation. Once this work has been undertaken, the Government/we will be in a position to outline its approach.