The Environment Agency (EA) requires Southern Water Services Limited to report all pollution incidents caused by any of their assets in a timely and accurate manner, whether or not the asset benefits from an Environmental Permit.<\/p>
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Incidents are assessed for their potential impact on the environment. The EA reviews the circumstances and any evidence available for incidents that have the potential to cause significant impact. The EA will assess compliance with any statutory or non-statutory reporting requirements on an individual basis. Where the quality of Southern Water\u2019s initial report is insufficient for an accurate assessment of environmental impact to be made, it will liaise with the company to obtain full details. Breaches of Environmental Permit conditions relating to reporting of incidents are dealt with in accordance with the EA\u2019s Enforcement and Sanction Policy.<\/p>
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The EA records and tracks data pertaining to these incidents, including the timeliness of reporting, which forms the basis of regular performance meetings with the company. Data is also published annually in the Environmental Performance Assessment of water companies.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4522", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rebecca Pow"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Taunton Deane"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rebecca Pow"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-19T13:50:22.013Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Southern Water"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) quality, (b) accuracy and (c) timeliness of the data the Environment Agency receives from Southern Water on statutory pollution notifications in (a) Langstone Harbour and (b) other areas for which that Southern Water is responsible; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "33315"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346924", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346924/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government works closely with the regulators including the Environment Agency and Ofwat to support their work to monitor Southern Water's performance and to hold them to account to deliver improvements for their customers and the environment.<\/p>
<\/p>
The EPA report which spans the last 12 months makes for extremely disappointing reading. Even the industry-leading water companies have more work to do, especially on the use of storm overflows. The worse performing companies like Southern are still failing to live up to their responsibilities to regulators, their customers and the environment. Water companies have a legal duty to avoid pollution to our rivers and other waterways.<\/p>
<\/p>
Although it has improved on last year's one star rating, Southern Water remains one of the worst performing companies. Southern has a package of undertakings to deliver, following enforcement action in 2018. The package includes steps to improve investment and performance at its wastewater treatment works and to increase transparency for customers about its environmental performance.<\/p>
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I met with Southern Water's management team earlier this year to discuss their environmental performance. Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, also recently met with Southern Water's Chair, and the Secretary of State will be meeting with them to discuss their 2020 EPA results.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4522", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rebecca Pow"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Taunton Deane"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rebecca Pow"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "33317"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-19T16:27:12.113Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Southern Water"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has received from the Environment Agency in relation to its latest report on the environmental performance of Southern Water for 2020; and will he make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "33316"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346925", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346925/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government works closely with the regulators including the Environment Agency and Ofwat to support their work to monitor Southern Water's performance and to hold them to account to deliver improvements for their customers and the environment.<\/p>
<\/p>
The EPA report which spans the last 12 months makes for extremely disappointing reading. Even the industry-leading water companies have more work to do, especially on the use of storm overflows. The worse performing companies like Southern are still failing to live up to their responsibilities to regulators, their customers and the environment. Water companies have a legal duty to avoid pollution to our rivers and other waterways.<\/p>
<\/p>
Although it has improved on last year's one star rating, Southern Water remains one of the worst performing companies. Southern has a package of undertakings to deliver, following enforcement action in 2018. The package includes steps to improve investment and performance at its wastewater treatment works and to increase transparency for customers about its environmental performance.<\/p>
<\/p>
I met with Southern Water's management team earlier this year to discuss their environmental performance. Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, also recently met with Southern Water's Chair, and the Secretary of State will be meeting with them to discuss their 2020 EPA results.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4522", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rebecca Pow"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Taunton Deane"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rebecca Pow"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "33316"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-19T16:27:12.147Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Southern Water"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to (a) support and (b) improve the environmental performance of Southern Water; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "33317"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346948", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346948/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support during the pandemic, which is available to tenants.<\/p>
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit are in place until the end of September helping renters to continue paying their rent. Local housing allowance rates have been maintained at their increased level in cash terms in 2021/22, meaning claimants renting in the private rented sector continue to benefit from the significant increase in the local housing allowance rates applied in April 2020.<\/p>
For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. For 2021-22 the Government has made £140 million available in DHP funding, building on the £180 million provided last year.<\/p>
Renters also continue to benefit from longer notice periods, giving them more time to make alternative arrangements. As of 1 June, until at least 30 September, notice periods must be at least 4 months except in the most egregious cases.\u202f Bailiffs have been asked not to carry out an eviction if anyone living in the property has Covid-19 symptoms or is self-isolating.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4635", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Eddie Hughes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Eddie Hughes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-19T16:54:56.427Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Rents: Arrears"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will bring forward policy proposals to support tenants with rent arrears whose income was reduced as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "33318"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346950", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346950/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Monthly statistics on the number of Households on Universal Credit, including those that make use of a Managed Payment to Landlord Arrangement, are published, and a breakdown by country to February 2021 can be found at:<\/p>