Contributions
571 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDThames WaterQuite simply, I do not want customers to pick up the bill for the repeated failures of Thames Water, but I hear the hon. Gentleman’s concerns about uncertainty, and I would like…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterI certainly want to turn the page on the failures of this company that have affected my hon. Friend’s constituents and those of other Members. Thanks to the Water (Special…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterI entirely understand why the hon. Lady and her constituents are fed up with the company’s poor performance, and I have written to Ofwat expressing my concerns. I do not want her…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterThe company remains solvent, but if it were to become insolvent it would be for the directors to apply to the court for an insolvency special administration regime, and then those…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterI am very sorry to hear about the circumstances in my hon. Friend’s constituency, and I will happily raise them with the regulator. We need to get that fixed as soon as possible.16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterMy hon. Friend is right to say there have been 15 years of failure, with the company letting down customers and businesses in his constituency. Chalk streams are an absolute…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterI am really sorry to hear about the sewage incident outside a local primary school. If the hon. Lady would like to take that up with me separately, I would be happy to follow it…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterMy hon. Friend is right to say that Thames Water has a terrible record going back—as I said in my statement—at least 15 years. He is also right to say that sewage spills in the…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterMay I welcome the hon. Gentleman to the party? It was a long time coming. I do not remember any mention of the sewage crisis in the Reform manifesto at the last election.16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterMy hon. Friend is right to raise the impact of this issue on local businesses as well as residents in her constituency. I spoke to the chair of Ofwat yesterday evening, as well as…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterWe have seen really poor performance over a number of years, and I absolutely appreciate my hon. Friend’s impatience on behalf of his constituents—he is right to express that. One…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterI thank my constituency neighbour for his question. Like him, I have had complaints about Thames Water in my constituency. With regard to his broader question, I reassure him that…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterAbsolutely, and I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. As I said in my statement, customers are front and centre in my consideration of this issue. It is completely…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterWell, we have to see. I have sent a letter to express my early concerns about the situation, and the Government remain open to all eventualities. If there was a special…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterI do not always agree with the right hon. Gentleman, but I do so on this issue. There has been real regulatory failure here—there has been a failure of the regulators, and a…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterYes, we want Thames Water’s priority to be investing in the water infrastructure needed to improve the service it gives its customers and to drive environmental improvement.16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterThe clean water Bill will introduce a supervisory regime whereby the new regulator, which will have more teeth, will have a team of people for each and every water company, really…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterMy hon. Friend puts her finger on the issue. As I said in my statement, there are three principal reasons why I sent Ofwat my early concerns about the proposal, and one of those…16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterI wsill be making an oral statement on this subject later today. [HCWS116]16 Jun 2026HANSARDThames WaterAs I said in my statement, customers are at the front and centre of my consideration of this serious issue. The Environment Agency will continue to investigate any pollution…16 Jun 2026