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1,009 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTopical QuestionsFirst, may I welcome the shadow Secretary of State back to the Chamber? It was disappointing that she did not bother to turn up for the water statement; I can only assume that she…04 Sept 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe causes of food price inflation include rising global energy prices, extreme weather events that have been affecting harvests, as we have already heard, and global supply chain…04 Sept 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsWell, I was not far away a couple of weeks ago—I was down in Lewes. I congratulate my hon. Friend on being such a powerful campaigner on issues relating to sewage in his…04 Sept 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am always happy to meet farmers. That is why I have visited two farms already this week and sat down with a group of six farmers to talk about their concerns. I am more than…04 Sept 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionNationalising the water companies would, as I have already said, cost £100 billion—money that we would have to strip out of the national health service and education in order to…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionWe always want to support those on lower incomes and those who may be experiencing water poverty; nobody should be worried about their water bill because their income is too low.…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionThe target for reduction uses as its baseline the 2024 figure, not the 2021 figure used by the previous Government, recognising the extent to which sewage pollution increased…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionI was slightly confused by that question, if I am honest. My hon. Friend is very brave to go swimming in the North sea, but I know that many people enjoy that. The changes that we…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionMy hon. Friend makes a very good point. I believe that one of the reasons why the relationship between Ofwat and the water companies became far too cosy is the instruction that…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionI thank the hon. Gentleman—I think—for his comments, but it is disappointing that the shadow Secretary of State did not consider a matter of this urgency to be important enough…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionThank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I have, of course, saved the bulk of my responses for you and the House this afternoon. With permission, I would like to update the House on the…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionThe state of the River Derwent is, alas, similar to many other rivers, lakes and seas up and down the country. That is why we are launching a water revolution today to completely…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionI pay tribute to the young people of my hon. Friend’s constituency. Young people famously care about the environment, and they are devastated to see the scale of pollution in our…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionMy hon. Friend is right to point out that the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage), by his own admission, has “no idea” and no clue about this issue. My hon. Friend is also…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionI know Battersea very well—it is a beautiful area—and I am aware of the problems with pollution. Of course, she knows all too well the concerns of her residents about escalating…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionI welcome the hon. Member’s support in principle for Sir Jon Cunliffe’s proposal, which I have accepted, to merge the four regulators’ water functions into one single…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionI agree with my hon. Friend. I understand that the Welsh Deputy First Minister has laid a statement before the Senedd today giving his comments on Sir Jon’s report.21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionThe new ombudsman will have statutory powers to provide independent and free support to customers experiencing the kinds of failures that my hon. Friend describes; there are many…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionI am afraid that the Green party’s proposals would mean paying £100 billion of taxpayers’ money to the owners of the water companies. That money would have to be taken away from…21 Jul 2025HANSARD Independent Water CommissionAs the right hon. Member correctly points out, Scotland has a nationalised water company—under the control of the SNP Government, of course—and water pollution is worse than in…21 Jul 2025