I have heard quite a lot from the hon. Gentleman, so I would be most grateful if he would not mind giving someone else a chance. We are looking at introducing the performance regime for the same reason, because we want to ensure that we can intervene early to stop...

I have heard quite a lot from the hon. Gentleman, so I would be most grateful if he would not mind giving someone else a chance. We are looking at introducing the performance regime for the same reason, because we want to ensure that we can intervene early to stop...

Every week in my surgeries I hear about the consequences of Thames Water’s failures. An elderly widowed constituent was left without running water after it failed and botched the installation of a water meter, and she was forced to shell out hundreds of pounds on an emergency plumber to remedy...

Every week in my surgeries I hear about the consequences of Thames Water’s failures. An elderly widowed constituent was left without running water after it failed and botched the installation of a water meter, and she was forced to shell out hundreds of pounds on an emergency plumber to remedy...

It is true that I feel angry on behalf of all our constituents who have been so badly let down by the system that we inherited, and that is exactly why we have taken the action that we have. There is, of course, lots more to do—nobody is saying there...

It is true that I feel angry on behalf of all our constituents who have been so badly let down by the system that we inherited, and that is exactly why we have taken the action that we have. There is, of course, lots more to do—nobody is saying there...

Does the Minister think that the Secretary of State exercised those duties well when, under the Blair Government, Macquarie was allowed to come into Thames Water and South East Water and asset strip those companies?

Does the Minister think that the Secretary of State exercised those duties well when, under the Blair Government, Macquarie was allowed to come into Thames Water and South East Water and asset strip those companies?

Quite clearly, some of the behaviour that we have seen in the past from water companies shows that the regulatory system did not work, and that is exactly why we are changing it. Of course, between Blair and the current Government there were 14 years of Tory Government and five...

Quite clearly, some of the behaviour that we have seen in the past from water companies shows that the regulatory system did not work, and that is exactly why we are changing it. Of course, between Blair and the current Government there were 14 years of Tory Government and five...

I am glad the Minister has moved on to the substance of DEFRA’s case. Will she clarify for my residents whether she considers a company that is spending 33% of the income it gets from customers on servicing its debt and paying a 10% premium on that debt is actually...

I am glad the Minister has moved on to the substance of DEFRA’s case. Will she clarify for my residents whether she considers a company that is spending 33% of the income it gets from customers on servicing its debt and paying a 10% premium on that debt is actually...

As I have just said, on the issue of performance, cases have to be brought forward to court, and the court must be convinced that the company is not performing—I will move on to insolvency.

This issue is why regulators start by using the full range of supervisory and enforcement powers...

As I have just said, on the issue of performance, cases have to be brought forward to court, and the court must be convinced that the company is not performing—I will move on to insolvency.

This issue is why regulators start by using the full range of supervisory and enforcement powers...

How is that possible?

How is that possible?

This is the thing with the hon. Gentleman: he makes many assertions in this House when he stands up to comment, but then he refuses to allow me to address and answer them. I am still answering his point about the ultimate controller. If he wants to ask me a...

This is the thing with the hon. Gentleman: he makes many assertions in this House when he stands up to comment, but then he refuses to allow me to address and answer them. I am still answering his point about the ultimate controller. If he wants to ask me a...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2026, to Question 9341, on Ofwat: Equality, if she will provide a breakdown of the £4,200 expenditure of external EDI expenditure in 2025-26, including suppliers, amount and purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2026, to Question 9341, on Ofwat: Equality, if she will provide a breakdown of the £4,200 expenditure of external EDI expenditure in 2025-26, including suppliers, amount and purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency planning her Department has undertaken to monitor and improve Thames Water’s Asset Health Index in future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency planning her Department has undertaken to monitor and improve Thames Water’s Asset Health Index in future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her letter of Monday 15th June 2026 to Ofwat on Thames Water’s performance and infrastructure, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the company’s Asset Health Index; what...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her letter of Monday 15th June 2026 to Ofwat on Thames Water’s performance and infrastructure, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the company’s Asset Health Index; what...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 4 February 2026 to Question 107386 on Ofwat, for what reason that spending was not included in the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, updated 6 May 2026.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 4 February 2026 to Question 107386 on Ofwat, for what reason that spending was not included in the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, updated 6 May 2026.

Lords statement regarding the position of Thames Water and the proposed recapitalisation package under consideration.

Lords statement regarding the position of Thames Water and the proposed recapitalisation package under consideration.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for answering on this Statement in your Lordships’ House. Thames Water has scandalised our country while asking its customers to pay more for less. For the sake of customers and taxpayers, we now need stability, not uncertainty. This Statement has not announced any change...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for answering on this Statement in your Lordships’ House. Thames Water has scandalised our country while asking its customers to pay more for less. For the sake of customers and taxpayers, we now need stability, not uncertainty. This Statement has not announced any change...

My Lords, I want to return to a point I raised in this House only last week when I asked whether the Government were delaying the clean water Bill pending resolution of the Thames Water situation. We were told then that the Government were ready to deploy a special administration...

My Lords, I want to return to a point I raised in this House only last week when I asked whether the Government were delaying the clean water Bill pending resolution of the Thames Water situation. We were told then that the Government were ready to deploy a special administration...