Water Industry Reform

Debate between Lord Jones of Cheltenham and Earl Howe

Tuesday 25th January 2022 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe (Con)]

I apologise to the noble Lord. The noble Lord, Lord Jones of Cheltenham, has indicated his wish to speak virtually, and I think this might be a convenient time.

[Lord Jones of Cheltenham (LD) [V]]

My Lords, Seven Trent and Wessex Water told Gloucestershire county councillors that they had no plans to ever stop dumping sewage, while Thames Water said it intended to stop only by 2050. None of the companies believes that the Government’s Environment Act will change their behaviour. Is this another example of how arrogance, indolence and ignorance freeze the government machine, while our rivers are polluted with raw sewage and water companies rake in the profits? Should we not freeze water bills and directors’ pay and ban dividends until the problem is stopped once and for all?

Questions for Written Answers

Debate between Lord Jones of Cheltenham and Earl Howe

Monday 22nd February 2021 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe (Con)]

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend. It is worth noting that, in the Session to date, Ministers for the Department of Health and Social Care—principally my noble friend Lord Bethell—have answered 100 Oral Questions and 22 Private Notice Questions, as well as handling more than 40 Statements. In this House, we have also debated 56 sets of health protection regulations. It is not just through Written Answers that the DHSC has been accountable to this House.

[Lord Jones of Cheltenham (LD) [V]]

I received a written response on 4 February, within the time limit, saying that

“The Department for Work and Pensions plans to respond shortly on this issue,”


which felt like a fob-off. Since then, nothing. What is the Government’s interpretation of the word “shortly”?

[Earl Howe (Con)]

My Lords, we have debated this matter a number of times in this Chamber. Clearly, the noble Lord is entitled to expect a substantive answer within the space of a few days of the Answer he received. I shall follow up the matter he has raised but, as I said earlier, Ministers take their obligations to Parliament very seriously. My noble friend the Leader of the House regularly speaks to members of the Government Front Bench about the importance of timely responses to Written Questions, and her office actively chases late Answers.