When considering applications from potential retailers, Ofwat, the economic regulator for the water industry, considers whether it would have sufficient financial resources to finance its obligations under the law and to deliver its business plan. Once the retailer enters the market, it is for the retailer to ensure it operates efficiently and is able to continue to operate. In any functioning market some retailers will fail. If a retailer were to fail, as has been seen in other sectors, Ofwat would step in and ensure affected customers are allocated to a new supplier in a seamless way.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-20T14:58:48.21Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Water Companies: Insolvency"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent retailers in the water market who sell to SME customers from failing.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/384", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness McIntosh of Pickering"} ], "uin" : "HL15550"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1124876", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1124876/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (a) undertook some analysis of the Scottish SME non-household retail water market during the initial planning stages of opening up the English market; and (b) works closely with Ofwat as they review the English non-household retail market and its operation since opening, including with regard to SMEs.<\/p>
<\/p>
Ofwat monitors and assesses the non-household retail water market in England on an ongoing basis. It commissioned customer research to gauge directly customers\u2019 experiences of the market, including views on the interactions between the markets in England, Scotland and Wales. This information was published in July 2018 as the Ofwat customer insight survey<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> Ofwat\u2019s first annual assessment of the market, Open for Business<\/a>, also published in July 2018, highlighted a number of areas in which to achieve better outcomes for business customers in England, including SMEs.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL15552"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-20T15:51:11.493Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Water Companies: Competition"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment has been made by (1) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and (2) Ofwat of the (a) Scottish SME non-household retail water market, and (b) the English SME non-household retail water market.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/384", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness McIntosh of Pickering"}
], "uin" : "HL15551"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1124877", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1124877/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (a) undertook some analysis of the Scottish SME non-household retail water market during the initial planning stages of opening up the English market; and (b) works closely with Ofwat as they review the English non-household retail market and its operation since opening, including with regard to SMEs.<\/p> <\/p> Ofwat monitors and assesses the non-household retail water market in England on an ongoing basis. It commissioned customer research to gauge directly customers\u2019 experiences of the market, including views on the interactions between the markets in England, Scotland and Wales. This information was published in July 2018 as the Ofwat customer insight survey<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p>