Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) regularly assesses the progress of I-VMS uptake by the fishing industry and receives regular updates from the type-approved device suppliers, alongside marine engineer device installation paperwork and validation of successful installation from the suppliers. This information has allowed the MMO to tailor and target communication with the fishing industry throughout the roll-out and support industry be prepared for the forthcoming Statutory Instrument. The choice of supplier is a matter for the individual vessel owner and the MMO is not party to this relationship.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has not sent non-compliance warning letters to licence holders with non-reporting devices. On 16 May, ‘for information only’ letters were sent by MMO to 291 licence holders with I-VMS devices on vessels it knows to have been actively fishing, and where the device had not been transmitting data. These letters were not warning letters and stated a desire to work with vessel owners to help them achieve compliance.

This Government is committed to working closely with industry to anticipate the potential social and economic risk from avian influenza, so that response strategies are as effective as possible. Whilst the economic impact of an outbreak of avian influenza on Flyde and Lancashire has not been specifically assessed at the regional level, the impacts of a reasonable worst-case scenario outbreak of avian influenza were assessed for the National Risk Register published on gov.uk in 2025. These national risks are reviewed on a regular basis, taking into account new developments. In addition, the joint Government and industry avian influenza taskforce has committed to publishing a full report on vaccination strategies in the UK this summer; this will include economic assessments from previous outbreaks, including the 2022 outbreak.

Compensation paid for birds culled by the Government for disease control purposes is designed to promote prompt reporting of suspicion of disease and is only payable for healthy birds as set out in the Animal Health Act 1981. There is no compensation available for sick birds or birds that have died. Compensation is not paid for consequential losses, including business interruption caused by control or measures, nor for eggs or poultry meat. However, to support improvements and resilience in the poultry sector laying hen housing for health and welfare grants have been made available to poultry keepers in England through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. Any commercial egg producer or pullet rearer, who is a registered keeper of 1000 or more birds are eligible to apply for these grants.

This Government is committed to working closely with industry to anticipate the potential social and economic risk from avian influenza, so that response strategies are as effective as possible. Whilst the economic impact of an outbreak of avian influenza on Flyde and Lancashire has not been specifically assessed at the regional level, the impacts of a reasonable worst-case scenario outbreak of avian influenza were assessed for the National Risk Register published on gov.uk in 2025. These national risks are reviewed on a regular basis, taking into account new developments. In addition, the joint Government and industry avian influenza taskforce has committed to publishing a full report on vaccination strategies in the UK this summer; this will include economic assessments from previous outbreaks, including the 2022 outbreak.

Compensation paid for birds culled by the Government for disease control purposes is designed to promote prompt reporting of suspicion of disease and is only payable for healthy birds as set out in the Animal Health Act 1981. There is no compensation available for sick birds or birds that have died. Compensation is not paid for consequential losses, including business interruption caused by control or measures, nor for eggs or poultry meat. However, to support improvements and resilience in the poultry sector laying hen housing for health and welfare grants have been made available to poultry keepers in England through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. Any commercial egg producer or pullet rearer, who is a registered keeper of 1000 or more birds are eligible to apply for these grants.

This Government is committed to working closely with industry to anticipate the potential social and economic risk from avian influenza, so that response strategies are as effective as possible. Whilst the economic impact of an outbreak of avian influenza on Flyde and Lancashire has not been specifically assessed at the regional level, the impacts of a reasonable worst-case scenario outbreak of avian influenza were assessed for the National Risk Register published on gov.uk in 2025. These national risks are reviewed on a regular basis, taking into account new developments. In addition, the joint Government and industry avian influenza taskforce has committed to publishing a full report on vaccination strategies in the UK this summer; this will include economic assessments from previous outbreaks, including the 2022 outbreak.

Compensation paid for birds culled by the Government for disease control purposes is designed to promote prompt reporting of suspicion of disease and is only payable for healthy birds as set out in the Animal Health Act 1981. There is no compensation available for sick birds or birds that have died. Compensation is not paid for consequential losses, including business interruption caused by control or measures, nor for eggs or poultry meat. However, to support improvements and resilience in the poultry sector laying hen housing for health and welfare grants have been made available to poultry keepers in England through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. Any commercial egg producer or pullet rearer, who is a registered keeper of 1000 or more birds are eligible to apply for these grants.

The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April 2024, is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. Funding is based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023. Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects.

Applications were welcomed from a wide range of projects to improve the water environment and water management, such as re-meandering rivers, removing invasive non-native species, creating and restoring water-dependent habitats and managing and reducing sources of water pollution.

We expect the company to meet their statutory and regulatory obligations.

Thames Water’s current Asset Management Plan includes commitments to both maintain Markyate Wastewater Treatment Works and enhance its performance.

Capital maintenance includes a Groundwater Impacted System Management Plan to reduce infiltration, together with a Wastewater Asset Assurance Programme to avoid pollution incidents and ensure permit compliance.

Under the Water Industry National Environment Programme, Thames Water will deliver an improvement to reduce storm overflow spills at Markyate to an average of 10 spills. They must investigate whether the storm overflow at Markyate is having a local adverse ecological impact, which may drive the spill count of the delivered improvement below an average of 10 spills if it is identified as necessary.

We have committed to forcing fly-tippers to clean up the mess they have created. This will build on existing sanctions which include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, seizing and crushing of vehicles and prosecution which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment.

Sentencing is a matter for the courts. The Defra chaired National Fly-tipping Prevention Group has previously produced a guide on how local authorities, and others, can present robust cases to court. This is available at https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group.

We encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers and are currently taking steps to develop statutory guidance on fly-tipping enforcement. We are reviewing council powers to seize and crush vehicles of fly-tippers, to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool.

We will move the regulation of waste carriers, brokers and dealers from light-touch registration into environmental permitting. This will enhance the Environment Agency’s ability to take action and make it harder for rogue operators to operate. Under this proposed reform, penalties set out in the Environmental Protection Act 1990, such as prison sentences of up to 5 years, will become applicable to breaches of the new regulations.

The Government is clear that transformative change is needed across the water sector, and will be carefully considering Sir Jon’s preliminary conclusions as outlined in the interim report published on 3 June.

The Government will respond to the findings in full once the Commission has produced its final report later this summer. Our response will include a detailed transition plan for the water sector, which will form the basis of future legislation to reset the sector and attract the investment we need to ensure its resilience for decades to come.

The Government is clear that transformative change is needed across the water sector, and will be carefully considering Sir Jon’s preliminary conclusions as outlined in the interim report published on 3 June.

The Government will respond to the findings in full once the Commission has produced its final report later this summer. Our response will include a detailed transition plan for the water sector, which will form the basis of future legislation to reset the sector and attract the investment we need to ensure its resilience for decades to come.

The Government is clear that transformative change is needed across the water sector, and will be carefully considering Sir Jon’s preliminary conclusions as outlined in the interim report published on 3 June.

The Government will respond to the findings in full once the Commission has produced its final report later this summer. Our response will include a detailed transition plan for the water sector, which will form the basis of future legislation to reset the sector and attract the investment we need to ensure its resilience for decades to come.

The Government is clear that transformative change is needed across the water sector, and will be carefully considering Sir Jon’s preliminary conclusions as outlined in the interim report published on 3 June.

The Government will respond to the findings in full once the Commission has produced its final report later this summer. Our response will include a detailed transition plan for the water sector, which will form the basis of future legislation to reset the sector and attract the investment we need to ensure its resilience for decades to come.

Defra’s scientific research is exploring ways to reduce environmental impacts of livestock production, including research to better understand the role of insect protein in pig and poultry feed (not human diets) in addressing this aim. Examples include a scientific review of the opportunities for the inclusion of insect protein in pig and poultry feed within the UK (2021). Research also considered insect-based proteins (for food and feed), as part of a wider review of alternative proteins (2022). A life-cycle assessment of UK insect protein production compared the environmental impacts of insect, soy and fishmeal protein production for animal feeds in the UK (2023).

Defra has also committed funding via the Farming Innovation Programme and Farming Innovation Pathways for projects looking at insect protein in animal feed, including a themed competition addressing on farm protein.

The FSA report on the ‘The Future of Animal Feed’ was published in April 2023. The report analysed the production and supply of protein for the global livestock sector, focusing on the potential opportunities, and threats, of alternative feeds.

Under food law, it is the responsibility of food businesses to ensure food is safe. Edible insects, as novel foods, need authorisation from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS), which requires provision of a safety case. Food businesses wanting an authorisation will develop the research and evidence to demonstrate the food is safe for consumption.

Fisheries Management Plans are evidence-based plans developed in accordance with the Fisheries Act 2020. They set out short, medium and long-term actions to restore or maintain fish stocks at sustainable levels and meet the requirements of Article 6.3.

To date, Defra has developed and published six FMPs which are available at www.gov.uk/government/collections/fisheries-management-plans#published-fmps which we are now beginning to implement. For example, last year we introduced legislation to better manage fly seine fishing in the English Channel, increased the minimum conservation reference sizes for brill, lemon sole, turbot and crawfish to protect the juveniles of these species.

The grant agreement contains commercially sensitive information and will not be published. Details of the grant will be published on the Grants register held at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-grants-data-and-statistics. This information is published retrospectively with data for the 2024/25 grant published later this year. Details of the 2025/26 grant will be published in 2026.

The UK Badger Persecution Priority Delivery Group, of which Defra is a member, recently re-launched its Operation Badger initiative. Operation Badger aims to increase awareness of the many types of criminal activity such as illegal trapping, poisoning, and sett disturbance that threaten badgers and to educate and encourage reporting of suspected crimes against badgers.

Advice on badger protection, legislation and planning is also available on GOV.UK.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) decides the classification of taxes, while the Office of Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) determines how they are treated in fiscal forecasts. In earlier fiscal events OBR have treated pEPR fees as adjustment to departmental budgets as “there was previously not enough detail on the fees for this to be reflected as a tax in our receipts forecast”.

The OBR determination is a technical classification that has no effect on pEPR policy.

This technical classification does not affect the distribution of revenue to local authorities. Revenue from pEPR will be distributed directly by PackUK, the scheme administrator, to local authorities.

This Government is committed to delivering net zero by 2050 and we will work in collaboration with farmers and others with a stake in our food system towards this.

The transition to more climate friendly practices will work hand in hand with food security and farm productivity. We will support farmers to adopt low carbon farming practices, increasing the carbon stored on their land while boosting profitability.

We remain committed to investing £5 billion of funding in the farming budget over two years and are on track to do so. As part of this, we will optimise environmental land management schemes to make them work for farmers and nature, and introduce a land-use framework, helping to protect both the environment, food security and livelihoods.

We will also look carefully at how to enable the benefits of innovation in reaching net zero carbon targets and the integration of new technologies and best practice into farming practices.

Since 1 January 2025, water companies are required to publish data related to discharges from all storm overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. The Secretary of State has authorised Ofwat to carry out enforcement action for this duty, in accordance with the powers conferred under sections 18 and 141DA (4) of the Water Industry Act 1991.

Ofwat is currently developing guidance, which it will publish in due course, to ensure water companies are meeting this duty. In addition to this, the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 will introduce a matching duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. Once commenced, this duty will be enforced in the same way, further enhancing our monitoring of the storm overflow network and increasing transparency.

Furthermore, the Water (Special Measures) Act will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector. This includes powers for Ofwat to set rules on remuneration and governance, and financial reporting, and new powers for the Environment Agency (EA) to impose automatic penalties, and penalties to the lower, civil standard of proof.

The Government is committed to requiring standardised Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in new developments. These should be to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits, offer reuse opportunities, reduce run off and help to improve water quality, amenity, and biodiversity. It is also important to ensure appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place.

Water companies must show how they provide a secure supply of water to their customers and protect the environment during dry weather and droughts through their statutory drought plans. A drought plan is an operational plan that sets out what actions a water company will take as a drought worsens.

Both Defra and the Environment Agency operate an incident response structure that they use to manage a drought.

Emergency measures such as the need for water restrictions through standpipes and rota cuts are included in water companies’ emergency plans. Local authorities take a lead role in local resilience.

Local authorities review and assess air quality in their areas and publish an annual report on their actions to improve local air quality including local monitoring data.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead have reported continued reductions in concentrations of NO2 and PM10 over recent years and continued compliance with the Air Quality Objectives set by central Government. The council has begun to monitor local concentrations of PM2.5 and are likely to report on this pollutant later this year; Defra’s modelling for PM2.5 shows that background concentrations are also well below the annual mean Air Quality Objective in this council’s area.

The most recent national air quality compliance assessment for 2023 presented air quality modelling data and measurements from national air pollution monitoring networks across the UK. The assessment was published in September 2024 on Defra’s UK-AIR website. No exceedances were reported of the limit and target values for NO2, PM10 or PM2.5 in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Defra is aware of research papers published by Scot EID and have gathered further evidence through our own research and extensive engagement with farmers and industry.

Defra and the Welsh Government commissioned Harper Adams University to conduct an independent study of the two types of EID technology. This found fewer challenges associated with low frequency than ultra-high frequency technology. The findings of this study have now been published and can be found on Defra Science Search pages.

Defra officials and the devolved Governments are working to deliver robust traceability across the UK. This is to ensure we are in line with the UK Internal Markets Act (2020) and can trade with the EU and internationally.

Defra officials and the devolved Governments are working to deliver robust traceability across the UK and to ensure we are in line with the UK Internal Markets Act (2020) and can trade with the EU and internationally.

On 2 June, Defra announced its decision to use Low Frequency electronic identification technology for cattle in England.

Under the Windsor Framework, should Northern Ireland introduce electronic ID for cattle, it will be required to use the same Low Frequency technology in line with EU requirements.

Wales are yet to decide on which technology to implement.

This Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food. A key priority for the food strategy is to improve consumer access to healthy food, in order to give all children the best start in life and help adults live longer healthier lives.

We are forming a partnership across the food system, Government and the four nations to leverage expertise, while building on existing evidence and analysis, such as Henry Dimbleby’s National Food Strategy. The food strategy is being developed in alignment with the Government’s Plan for Change and the Health and Growth missions. Through the lens of a new food strategy, there is an opportunity to deliver a healthier, fairer, more sustainable and more resilient 21st century food system that grows the economy, feeds the nation, nourishes individuals, and protects the planet, now and in the future.

Under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, lead local flood authorities must investigate flood incidents to the extent that they consider it necessary or appropriate, publish the results and notify relevant risk management authorities. These investigations help to improve knowledge and raise awareness of local flooding and inform local flood strategies and investment.

The Local Government Settlement provides funding for local authorities and the services they deliver. This includes the management of local flood risk and flood investigations.

Flood investigations could be used to identify and support new flood projects, which could secure funding from the government’s record £2.65 billion investment programme.

Defra has worked with lead local flood authorities to develop non-statutory guidance for carrying out flood investigations. The guidance was published in April 2025 and provides a best practice framework for producing clear and consistent reports. It can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigating-a-flood-guidance-for-lead-local-flood-authorities/investigating-a-flood-guidance-for-lead-local-flood-authorities.

Under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, lead local flood authorities must investigate flood incidents to the extent that they consider it necessary or appropriate, publish the results and notify relevant risk management authorities. These investigations help to improve knowledge and raise awareness of local flooding and inform local flood strategies and investment.

The Local Government Settlement provides funding for local authorities and the services they deliver. This includes the management of local flood risk and flood investigations.

Flood investigations could be used to identify and support new flood projects, which could secure funding from the government’s record £2.65 billion investment programme.

Defra has worked with lead local flood authorities to develop non-statutory guidance for carrying out flood investigations. The guidance was published in April 2025 and provides a best practice framework for producing clear and consistent reports. It can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigating-a-flood-guidance-for-lead-local-flood-authorities/investigating-a-flood-guidance-for-lead-local-flood-authorities.

The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 prohibits the deliberate killing, injuring or capturing of a wild badger and any interfering with badger setts; and The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits certain methods of control. Additionally, badger persecution is one of the seven UK wildlife crime priorities, and a UK Badger Persecution Priority Delivery Group is in place. This is police led and comprises a range of members including Defra who meet regularly to tackle offences such as badger baiting which is rightly illegal in this country. The government’s view is that anyone found guilty of these offences should be subject to the full force of the law.

We have also started work on a comprehensive new bovine TB eradication strategy to drive down TB rates to save cattle and farmers’ livelihoods and to end the badger cull by the end of this parliament. As part of this, we have launched the first badger population survey in over a decade to estimate badger abundance and population recovery and are developing a national wildlife surveillance programme to unlock a data-driven approach to deploying TB vaccines and other eradication measures. We are also establishing a Badger Vaccinator Field Force to rapidly scale up vaccination efforts, helping to reduce TB rates and protect badgers.

WRAP, supported by Defra, and with input from local authorities, recently published Good Practice Guidance to help local authorities deliver quality waste and recycling services to citizens in England. Further guidance topics, including on residual waste collection, are intended to be published shortly.

The Government has announced its plans to publish a Circular Economy Strategy for England and a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis, one of which is agri-food.

As part of this work, evidence for action from right across the economy will be considered and evaluated in terms of what interventions may be needed, including introducing a mandatory food waste reporting requirement for large food businesses.

No assessment of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting in Austria has been made.

The Government has announced its plans to publish a Circular Economy Strategy for England and a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis, one of which is agri-food.

As part of this work, evidence for action from right across the economy will be considered and evaluated in terms of what interventions may be needed, including introducing a mandatory food waste reporting requirement for large food businesses.

No assessment of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting in Austria has been made.

This Government inherited an Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme, the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which was uncapped, despite a finite farming budget. We reached the upper limit in March.

Now is the right time for a reset via the reformed SFI offer: supporting farmers, delivering for nature and targeting public funds fairly and effectively towards our priorities for food, farming and nature. We will work with the farming sector to prioritise funding for future years so we can target those who will benefit most before reopening SFI to new applicants. Further details about the reformed SFI offer will be announced following the spending review in summer 2025.

We plan to launch the new Higher Tier scheme later this year; Capital Grants will re-open in summer 2025; we continue to move forward with Landscape Recovery; we are increasing payment rates for Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders to recognise their ongoing commitment to delivering environmental outcome; and we are making £110 million available for new grant competitions to support research and innovation, technology and equipment for farmers.

The work considering the Yorkshire Wolds National Landscape and the Surrey Hills National Landscape extension is live and progressing in line with information shared on the project websites. There have been no major changes to timetables since July 2024, timelines are shaped by evidence received through consultation so can be subject to change. We are currently working towards submissions of a Designation Order to the Secretary of State for the Surrey Hills and the Yorkshire Wolds projects. The work on the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge National Landscape and the Chiltern National Landscape extension has been stopped.

Defra does not collect information on the potential impacts of constructing green energy infrastructure. However, Defra does produce statistical estimates of agricultural land areas each year from the annual June Survey of Agriculture:

• In 2024, the utilised agricultural area (UAA) in England was 8.7 million hectares and this has remained broadly stable, only changing by around +/-1% each year over the past decade. Full breakdowns of agricultural land areas are published here Agricultural land use in England - GOV.UK

• In 2024, around 7,300 hectares of this land were used for solar panels (less than 0.1% of UAA). However, 50% of this land is still being used for agricultural production, such as for livestock grazing.

It is recognised that solar can, when delivered in line with relevant planning policy, have a positive impact on the natural environment, and large-scale solar farms can contribute significant gains for local biodiversity with intelligent design and planning.

Defra does not collect information on the potential impacts of constructing green energy infrastructure. However, Defra does produce statistical estimates of agricultural land areas each year from the annual June Survey of Agriculture:

• In 2024, the utilised agricultural area (UAA) in England was 8.7 million hectares and this has remained broadly stable, only changing by around +/-1% each year over the past decade. Full breakdowns of agricultural land areas are published here Agricultural land use in England - GOV.UK

• In 2024, around 7,300 hectares of this land were used for solar panels (less than 0.1% of UAA). However, 50% of this land is still being used for agricultural production e.g. for livestock grazing.

The Government wants to see all businesses take steps to reduce packaging use, ensure packaging is easy to recycle, and where appropriate move to re-use systems. However, the Government also recognises the importance of protecting small producers from direct cost obligations. This is why the regulations include a de-minimis threshold of £2 million turnover and 50 tonnes which exempts approximately 70% of the producers supplying packaging in the UK from paying scheme fees.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given by the Home Office on 9 May 2025 to PQ 49048.

Defra has made no such assessment. The Land Use Consultation explored the functions of land markets in England and the case for new incentives, including regulation to support the Government’s growth, environmental, and food production objectives. The responses to the consultation will inform a Land Use Framework that will be published later this year. The Farming Roadmap will include a vision for our farming sector and set the direction for how we get there, with a focus on delivering our food security and environmental objectives and supporting farms to be resilient and profitable.

A list of Defra funded WRAP publications for the last 3 years, including the title and date of publication is attached.

England's National Landscapes are some of our most iconic and inspiring places. The specific merits for farmers will vary due to the unique local contexts. However, benefits range from additional support from National Landscapes teams, the ability to leverage a nationally recognised status, the public goods that come from a greater focus on nature in these areas, and opportunities arising from regenerative tourism.

Farmers in National Landscapes also have access to our Farming in Protected Landscapes programme. This provides funding for farmers and land managers to work in partnership with National Park and National Landscape teams in England to deliver projects that achieve climate, nature, people and place outcomes. In the first three years of the programme, it engaged more than 7,000 farmers and land managers. As of April 2024, More than 5,500 projects have been approved across England’s 44 Protected Landscapes, with over £91 million provided in grant funding to farmers and land managers.

The Government makes full use of the comprehensive and wide ranging environmental regulatory framework in England. Defra and the Environment Agency have contributed to HMT’s Regulatory Action Plan and other recent reviews into regulatory effectiveness, including the review led by Dan Corry.

We remain committed to upholding high environmental standards to protect our natural environment and local communities when supporting new infrastructure and development.

The Government believes that it is important that rural communities have the opportunity to help shape decisions that affect them. As rural affairs lead, Defra continues to encourage all Government Departments to rural proof their policies, including engaging rural stakeholders in their public consultations and engagement processes. Defra also facilitates engagement with rural people and businesses via its Rural Insights Forum - a group of stakeholders that represent rural communities. Rural representatives and sector specific experts are also engaged with Defra’s Rural Taskforce, which will consider the value and contribution of rural communities and businesses in achieving the Government’s priorities.

Farming policy is a devolved matter. The Government has not conducted a formal assessment on the impact of the Scottish Government’s decision. Defra officials are working closely with the devolved Governments to ensure compliance with the UK internal markets Act (2020).

In the recent UK-EU joint statement, the government committed to building on the stable foundation of the Windsor Framework, and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to further reduce barriers to trade.

Moving goods between GB and NI will be easier, reducing the need for paperwork and checks due to the removal of SPS and other requirements.

The Government remains clear that regulators must be empowered to hold water companies to account, which is why the Water Special Measures Act delivers on our commitment to put water companies under special measures by strengthening regulation to clean up our waters. The Act will turn around the performance of water companies and ensure they are held to account where they do not deliver for customers and the environment.

As a result, companies are now not permitted to pay bonuses to water bosses that oversee poor environmental and customer outcomes. In May, we also announced a record 81 criminal investigations have been launched into water companies. This is the toughest crackdown on water companies in history.

In addition to the Water Special Measures Act, the Government established the Independent Water Commission to support a wider reset of the sector, including looking at regulators and their powers. The interim report was published on 3 June, and a final report is due this summer. The Government will then the Commission’s recommendations.