Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the capacity of Thames Water to prevent sewage discharges.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government has put down the building blocks to clean up England’s rivers, lakes and seas. We are rebuilding the water network to slash pollution levels, backed by a record £104 billion of investment, which includes over £10 billion to reduce sewage discharges from over 2,500 storm overflows in England.
Over 2025-30, Thames Water are expected to deliver a 29% reduction in spills from storm overflows and reduce pollution incidents by 30%. They are also expected to invest £1.2 billion to prevent harmful nutrients polluting rivers.
As part of the Environment Act 2021, a duty has been created for water and sewerage companies in England and Wales, including Thames Water, to produce Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs).
These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the drainage and wastewater network, develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues and bring together key stakeholders including local authorities and industry regulators.
We are introducing root and branch reform so that the water sector works for the British people. Working in partnership with water companies, investors and communities, the Government will introduce a new water reform bill early this Parliament.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Ofwat in protecting consumers from bill increases where a water company becomes insolvent.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat’s price review process sets limits on what water companies can charge customers, ensuring bills reflect only efficient costs required to deliver services and meet statutory obligations. It does not allow companies to pass on costs incurred outside normal business operations, including those related to financial distress.
In the event of insolvency, Ofwat can initiate a Special Administration Regime to maintain service continuity and protect consumers. Price controls remain in place regardless of ownership changes, safeguarding customers from disproportionate bill increases.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Ofwat on lessons learned from the financial position of Thames Water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat is an independent regulator that monitors the financial position of water companies, taking action when companies need to strengthen their long-term financial resilience.
The Secretary of State meets with stakeholders regularly such as Ofwat to discuss a range of issues: Defra: ministerial overseas travel, and meetings - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) farmers and (b) farming organisations on a timescale for banning cages for livestock.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department has engaged with key stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare.
The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish an impact assessment for banning cages for livestock animals.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 29 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole, PQ UIN 47556.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding is available to farmers to support them in the transition away from the use of cages for livestock animals.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra remains firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and will continue to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant recently offered funding support to commercial laying hen and pullet keepers in England, to refurbish or replace existing housing to improve health and welfare, including those transitioning from colony cages to high welfare non-cage systems. Initial applications closed on 18 September 2024, and all applicants have been contacted to notify them of next steps.
The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which the department continues to consider very carefully.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 61476 on Agricultural Shows, which agricultural shows (a) he has and (b) his Ministers have attended since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra Ministers have attended the following:
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the revenue that will be raised from fines imposed on water companies for environmental breaches in the next 12 months.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Environmental enforcement, including fines, is provided by independent regulators Ofwat and the Environment Agency (EA). Enforcement activity and subsequent fines are affected by a wide variety of factors and the Government does not have a predicted figure for the next 12 months. EA fines are imposed by the courts which apply the Sentencing Council’s Environmental Offences Definite Guideline on a case-by-case basis.
On 19 June 2025, the Government announced that over £100 million in fines and penalties levied against water companies since October 2023 will be reinvested into projects to clean up our waters which could include local programmes to address pollution and improve water quality.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farm visits (a) he has and (b) his Ministers have undertaken since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra ministers regularly visit farms in a range of counties and meet with farmers and the wider industry nearly every week.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether funds raised through fines on water companies will be allocated to support (a) water quality and (b) infrastructure improvements in the same areas where breaches occurred.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following the Spending Review, the Government has confirmed water company fines will be allocated to local environmental projects and programmes to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.
Over £100 million in fines has been levied against water companies since October 2023, which will be reinvested into local environment projects and programmes to address pollution and improve water quality.
More information on this announcement can be found on GOV.UK. A further announcement on the details on the projects and programmes that this funding will go towards will be set out in due course.
Water company fines that accumulated between April 2022 and October 2023 will be invested through the Water Restoration Fund. Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects to improve the water environment. Successful applicants have been notified, and an official announcement will follow in due course.