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1700497

registered interest
date	12/04/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Thames Water
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that Thames Water continues to (a) operate, (b) provide services and (c) keep bills low for customers.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	21384
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>Customers will not experience any change or disruption to their water supply or wastewater services as a consequence of the financial position of their water company. There are long standing processes in place whereby the regulator must approve individual companies’ investment plans to ensure they deliver on their requirements in an efficient way.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 23/04/2024 15:26:04 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1692785

registered interest
date	29/02/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Water Companies: Debts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the financial implications for her policies of trends in the level of debt acquired by water companies.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	16423
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2024 answer text <p>Water companies are allowed to raise debt to fund the delivery of their services.</p><p> </p><p>Ofwat, as the independent economic regulator, assesses and monitors the financial resilience of each company, including levels of debt, on an individual and ongoing basis and challenges companies where they identify this is needed.</p><p> </p><p>Over recent years, as investment requirements have risen, Ofwat has taken further steps to strengthen the financial resilience of companies. This includes increasing its financial monitoring and improving levels of reporting transparency. As part of this work, Ofwat produces an annual <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ofwat.gov.uk%2Fregulated-companies%2Fresilience-in-the-round%2Fmonitoring-financial-resilience%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqtransfers%40defra.gov.uk%7C404fd2dfae6b44bafb2c08dc3c55f362%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638451587045800154%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=9sb30LLZHaJqip5l8HtMBnlqmc3jKOo%2Bk%2FHMdoB%2FlRM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">‘Monitoring Financial Resilience Report’</a> to provide a publicly available assessment of the financial resilience of each water company.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore grouped question UIN 16283 question first answered 12/03/2024 13:15:29 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1689461

registered interest
date	16/02/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Water: Meters
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to allow water customers to have a meter removed from their property.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	14360
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government has committed to a 20% reduction in water demand by 2038 and halving leakage by 2050. Metering is central to identifying and reducing leakage and enabling better value for money for the consumer. The Government set out that water companies in areas of ‘water stress’ can compulsorily meter, following evidence it provides value for money and has customer support in their resource planning. Where this is the case, a customer may not be able to switch back to unmeasured charges. Other water companies do offer the opportunity for customers to switch back to an unmeasured charge following meter installation. All water companies offer social tariffs as part of affordability packages for consumers who may be struggling to pay their water bills.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 25/04/2024 09:29:18 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1687999

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Sewage: Pollution Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will introduce a legally binding target to reduce sewage discharges by 90% by 2030.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	13439
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2024 answer text <p>The Government is clear that the amount of sewage discharged into our waters is unacceptable. Through the Government's Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, we have set stringent targets for water companies to reduce the use of storm overflows, driving the largest infrastructure programme in water company history of £60 billion over 25 years. These stringent targets will prevent hundreds of thousands of storm overflow discharges every year.</p><p>If it is possible to go further and faster while balancing the cost to consumers, we will not hesitate to do so. The Government will review the targets in 2027, so that we stay as ambitious as possible, while balancing the impact on bills.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 14/02/2024 16:49:05 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1686237

registered interest
date	31/01/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fly-tipping: Fixed Penalties
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to increase the penalties for people who are successfully prosecuted for fly tipping.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	12357
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2024 answer text <p>While the law already allows for an unlimited fine and/or imprisonment, sentencing is a matter for the independent courts. Together with the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group, we have produced a guide on how local authorities, and others, can present robust cases to court to support sentences that properly reflect the severity of fly tipping. This is available at <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.keepbritaintidy.org%2Fnational-fly-tipping-prevention-group&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqtransfers%40defra.gov.uk%7C63b4e81fa6ec445f4fa908dc23d8c383%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638424661088760761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=xLAUi9TqDPbpnI6Epayv7B31RcAhrW%2FtQOaouCEyQv4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group</a>. Our recent fly-tipping statistics for 2022/23 showed that the average court fine increased by over 10%.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue to explore other options, such as increasing magistrates’ awareness of the impact of fly-tipping.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 05/02/2024 09:56:56 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1685163

registered interest
date	25/01/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Inland Waterways: Pollution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to pause utility prices for water companies that discharge pollutants into waterways.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	11547
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2024 answer text <p>The Government has been clear that consumer bills should never reward pollution: if water companies do not deliver on their infrastructure commitments, then money is returned to billpayers. For example, in September, Ofwat announced financial penalties for several water companies, totalling £114 million, following underperformance in areas such as water supply interruptions, pollution incidents and customer satisfaction. This money will be rightly returned to customers through reduced water bills in 2024-25.</p><p> </p><p>We want to see a step-change in the water sector, and this will require tough decisions for the long term. New infrastructure will need to be paid for, and while water companies can attract private investment, this will also need to come from customer bills.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 09/02/2024 10:51:33 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1684578

registered interest
date	23/01/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	United Utilities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with United Utilities on bill prices.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	11217
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2024 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has regular meetings with stakeholders, including with water companies.</p><p> </p><p>Government is working closely with both Ofwat and the Environment Agency to ensure all water companies, including United Utilities, can meet their targets for environmental improvements, without unduly impacting customers’ bills in the next price review cycle.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 07/02/2024 17:27:38 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1683523

registered interest
date	18/01/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fly-tipping
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help increase prosecutions for fly tipping.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	10559
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2024 answer text <p>In partnership with the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, which includes local authorities and the police, we have produced a guide on how local authorities, and others, can present robust cases to court to support sentences that properly reflect the severity of fly-tipping. This guide is available at <a href="https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group" target="_blank">National Fly-tipping Prevention Group | Keep Britain Tidy</a></p><p> </p><p>Through the Prime Minister’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, we are also encouraging councils to increase enforcement activity against fly-tippers. Our fly-tipping intervention grants have also seen nearly £1.2m awarded across more than 30 councils to help purchase equipment to tackle fly-tipping. Many of the projects are using the funds to install CCTV which can be used help catch perpetrators. Another round of grants for tackling fly-tipping are to be awarded in the spring.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 23/01/2024 11:58:52 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1683210

registered interest
date	17/01/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Water Companies: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take legislative steps to suspend dividend payments to shareholders of water companies found to be in breach of restrictions on the release of sewerage into waterways.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	10352
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2024 answer text <p>We are clear with Ofwat that increases to customer bills must not flow through to company profits, dividends or to executive bonuses where performance is poor.</p><p> </p><p>Using new powers granted to Ofwat by this Government under the Environment Act 2021, Ofwat introduced new powers in May 2023 to ensure dividends are linked to environmental performance and cannot be paid where it would risk the financial resilience of the company.</p><p> </p><p>Government and regulators will continue to work together to hold water companies to account on poor performance and drive improvements that benefit customers and the environment.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 14/02/2024 15:31:27 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1677141

registered interest
date	11/12/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Electronic Cigarettes: Recycling
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to encourage the use of refillable rather than disposable vapes.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	6367
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>On 12 October 2023 the Government launched a consultation on smoking and youth vaping, which has now closed. As part of this consultation, we are considering restrictions on the sale and supply of disposable vape products (including non-nicotine vapes) due to the environmental impacts of disposable vapes. We are currently analysing responses to this consultation and are working with the Department of Health and Social Care to publish a Government response in due course.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 20/12/2023 11:38:20 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols