Thames Water Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Charlie Maynard
Main Page: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)Department Debates - View all Charlie Maynard's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(3 days, 22 hours ago)
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Steve Reed
I thank my hon. Friend, and indeed neighbour, for his question, and I know what a strong water champion he is on behalf of his constituents. His constituents, much like everybody else’s, will now benefit from increased compensation when there are failures. I agree with him that one of the problems we inherited from the previous Government was having a failing system with no accountability at all, so it is quite right that we have introduced new criminal liabilities and potentially prison time for polluting water bosses, and that we have given the regulator the power to ban the unfair and undeserved multimillion-pound bonuses they got away with under the Conservatives.
Charlie Maynard (Witney) (LD)
Does the Secretary of State agree with Thames Water’s own expert adviser Teneo—on page 193 of the expert advice report—that the ultimate cost to the Government if the company goes into special administration will be zero?
Steve Reed
The point is that there is a market-led solution on the table and I expect Thames Water to follow through on that.