Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Wednesday, 28 June 2006.

Water Supply: Ofwat

Question: My Lords, the Minister implies that the Government have no powers, but I recall that under the Water Act 2003 they gave themselves the powers to require water companies to bring in water shortage plans. Does the Minister agree that it is time that the Government enforced that requirement? Have any steps been taken along those lines? It is time that the Government stopped passing the buck back to Ofwat and the water companies.

Answer: My Lords, frankly that is an unfair question. First, the water companies have a duty to have 25-year plans for their area, taking into account potential development. Parliament has put that on a statutory basis, and there is no get-out from it. On the noble Baroness’s second question, I go back to what I said. Ofwat has been put there by Parliament to regulate and do a job. It is not for us to second-guess Ofwat. It has the powers to impose financial penalties and to secure compliance by means of enforcement orders.

Secondary information