Water Bills

Lord Roborough Excerpts

Thursday 9th January 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Roborough]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that water bills are affordable for consumers.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Baroness Hayman of Ullock) (Lab)]

My Lords, nobody wants to see bills rise, so the Government are committed to tackling water poverty and holding the water sector accountable for its commitment to end water poverty by 2030. That is why we are pushing companies to have sufficient support available for customers who are struggling to pay their bills while at the same time challenging Ofwat to ensure that all company investments are affordable and that customers do not pay twice for upgrades.

[Lord Roborough (Con)]

My Lords, higher government borrowing costs are being imposed by markets questioning the Government’s Budget assumptions, as I discussed in this Chamber on 19 December. Higher financing costs are likely to be passed on to UK domestic companies, including in the water industry. Does the Minister agree that this makes SAOs more likely? Having rejected our amendments to protect consumers from increased charges in that event in the Water (Special Measures) Bill, is the Minister willing to commit that extra charges will not be levied on consumers in SAOs?