Thames Water

Charlie Maynard Excerpts
Tuesday 3rd June 2025

(3 days, 22 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Steve Reed Portrait Steve Reed
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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 Portrait Charlie Maynard (Witney) (LD)
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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 Portrait Steve Reed
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The point is that there is a market-led solution on the table and I expect Thames Water to follow through on that.