Contributions
571 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDWater White PaperI would not like to get involved in Northern Irish politics—that is not for me to do. I can reassure the hon. Lady, however, that we are working in close co-operation with all the…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI would like to see longer-term investors, such as pension funds—I am a former Pensions Minister—being more attracted to invest in the water system. We need a more stable,…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI know Whitchurch quite well—I grew up not too far away. The Water Minister or I will happily meet the hon. Member to discuss that matter.21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperWe will set up the water ombudsman; we need the primary legislation to do that. The ombudsman will have statutory powers and will be able to take forward consumer complaints and…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI admire my hon. Friend for swimming in the sea at all times of the year, by the sound of it. This new approach, the overhaul we are announcing in the White Paper, will establish…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperAs the right hon. Member will know, there is already a big degree of devolution and we work closely with the Welsh Government. I saw the Deputy First Minister recently, and we…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperThis will be an issue for the new regulator, rather than the ombudsman. As a result of the Water (Special Measures) Act, 10 water bosses last year were denied £4 million in…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperWe do think these two objectives can be realised. Far too many people in their 20s and 30s are denied the dream of home ownership because of the failure of the previous Government…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI pay tribute to those volunteers. The new regulator will take a more supervisory approach to water companies. We will look at pre-pipe solutions to reduce the volume of rainwater…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperAs I said, we have already blocked 10 company bosses from taking £4 million-worth of bonuses. I am urging them to respect both the spirit and the letter of the law, and Ofwat is…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI am always very happy to visit my hon. Friend. I know that the Nature Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry East (Mary Creagh), visited last year. My hon. Friend the…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI understand the frustration that the hon. Gentleman expresses. Like him, I am really frustrated with the levels of pollution in our waterways, and with some of the poor consumer…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI thank my hon. Friend for her interest, and indeed for her submission to the Independent Water Commission. On the financial management of our water companies, we have set out in…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperFirst, I thank the hon. Gentleman for welcoming the White Paper and the work on the new regulator. He is right to underline the importance of water capacity. My hon. Friend the…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI agree with my hon. Friend that it is unacceptable. These companies should respect both the spirit and the letter of the law. As I have said, Ofwat is considering what further…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI am sorry, but I cannot get into the specifics of Thames Water at what is quite a sensitive moment. What I can say is that it is financially stable, but the Government are…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperBefore we legislate for the new regulator, we are encouraging and working with Ofwat to see what can be done to move to a more supervisory approach—similar to what we do in…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI thank the hon. Member for the kind words with which he started his question. Within days of taking office, my predecessor ringfenced the money that should be invested in…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperI could not agree more with my hon. Friend. We must look at the pre-pipe solutions that she talks about, and the water White Paper emphasises the need to ensure that we reduce the…21 Jan 2026HANSARDWater White PaperThe Water Minister chairs a water delivery taskforce, and she is getting a grip on the investment in water assets and infrastructure that water companies have promised. That will…21 Jan 2026