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Written question asked by James McMurdock (Independent (affiliation)) on Friday, 27 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 March 2026. It was answered by Emma Hardy (Labour) on Thursday, 5 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.


Water Companies: Environment Protection

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Ofwat in preventing water companies from prioritising shareholder returns over environmental protection.

Answer

A stable and effective regulatory framework is crucial in attracting sustained investment to the sector.  The Government supports Ofwat imposing tougher rules on water company dividends and bonuses, so that consumer bills never reward pollution. Ofwat want to see improved transparency of environmental outcomes, enabling customers and stakeholders to understand progress and challenge companies on performance.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
116630
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Environment protection Ofwat Standards Water companies
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk