Contributions
1,563 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)Clause 10 requires payment by water companies. It is fair and reasonable that the regulator should recover costs associated with its regulatory functions. Ofwat will consider the…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)Thank you, Dr Huq, for giving me the opportunity to speak on clause 10, which is one of my favourites. The costs for Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales enforcement…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)As I am sure the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale will agree, the Government heard the strong support in the other place for adding a further environmental duty to Ofwat’s…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)Clause 8 grants the Secretary of State and Welsh Ministers the power to introduce conditions or general rules subject to which water industry abstraction and impounding licences…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)It is good to start the day off with a bit of unity in the Committee Room and everyone agreeing. In terms of which offences the automatic penalties will apply to, we are looking…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)It is lovely to see everybody again and it is a pleasure to serve under your chairwomanship, Dr Huq. Clause 7 will give the environmental regulators new powers to impose automatic…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting)I thank the hon. Members for Westmorland and Lonsdale and for Witney for tabling new clause 22. As the hon. Member for Witney says, we have already had a debate on this issue. I…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting)I thank the hon. Gentleman for tabling new clause 26. The Government agree that we need to rebuild trust in the water sector and that executives should be firmly held to account…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting)I thank the hon. Member for tabling new clause 17. It is clear that consumers are concerned about their bills, and this Government want to do everything they can to help and…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting)I thank the hon. Members for Witney and for Westmorland and Lonsdale for the intention behind their new clauses. The water sector is facing multiple challenges and growing…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)I wonder whether there has been some confusion, given that the debate on chalk streams comes later on.14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)If the hon. Member does not mind, I would like to finish my remarks, and then I am sure we will hear from him again. Although I have outlined some of the merits of clauses 12 and…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting)I thank the hon. Member for Epping Forest for tabling the new clause, which would implement a limit on borrowing by water companies. I note that Baroness Hayman had multiple…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting)The hon. Gentleman is right to highlight that the pollution caused in the Norfolk broads and in many other areas does not come from water companies alone. As has been discussed,…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)I hope this clause will be a little less fractious than the last one—it is pretty straightforward. If a water or waste water company is about to go insolvent, it can make a…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)I thank the hon. Member for Epping Forest for tabling new clause 2, which seeks to establish a water restoration fund in legislation. I accept his invitation to do better than the…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)I thank all hon. Members for their contributions. Amendment 20, tabled by the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale, seeks to make all provisions in the Bill come into force on…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Fourth sitting)I understand the intent of new clause 11. The location and health of a water company’s assets is key to ensuring their maintenance and improvement. Under section 199 of the Water…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)We are making excellent progress on the Bill this morning. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the importance of clause 11. I would like to mention the unsung hero of…14 Jan 2025HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)As I say, I wholeheartedly agree with the intention behind the amendment, but I note that later on we will be discussing the importance of chalk streams as well. The amendment…09 Jan 2025