Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will undertake an updated feasibility review of all the different ownership models relating to the provision of water in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are several different ownership models in the companies providing water in the United Kingdom.
Where a company requests to transition to a new ownership model, we have committed in the White Paper that the regulator will develop a transparent process. This process will assess whether the change should go ahead and ensure customer interests are properly reflected in the decision.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of prohibiting the sale of overseas hunting trips.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Whilst no assessment has been made of the merits of prohibiting overseas hunting trips, the Government is committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern.
The Department continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we can implement a robust import ban. Timeframes for introducing legislation will be provided once the Parliamentary timetable for future sessions is determined.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether CEOs of water have enhanced their salaries through other means, such as additional payments and salary rises, in the context of her Department's ban of unfair bonuses.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On 5 November 2025, Ofwat published its 2024-25 Performance related executive pay (PRP) assessment, which confirmed more than £4 million of unfair bonuses were blocked for 2024-25.
The PRP assessment highlighted a lack of transparency around executive pay in the water sector. To address this, Ofwat has confirmed its intention to update the requirements for companies' annual regulatory reporting to require companies to publicly report in full the details of remuneration received by directors from the regulated, group and parent companies, including explanations of what the remuneration relates to. Ofwat will consult on these changes with the intention that it applies to company accounts for 2025-26.
The Government expects companies to abide by both the letter and spirit of the bonus rule.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the proposed new water regulator will cost; who will pay these costs; and what assessment she has made of the potential for these costs to be passed onto consumers in the form of higher bills.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Across all our reforms the goal is to deliver our key outcomes – environment, customers, investability – in the most effective and efficient way possible to ensure lasting value.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's White Paper entitled A new vision for water, updated 19 February 2026, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of delaying fines to water companies on levels of compliance by water companies with the proposed regulatory regime.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Payment of fines is ultimately a matter for the regulator.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Food Standards Agency on the 2024 Fairer Food Labelling consultation; and if will she implement a mandatory method-of-production labelling on animal food products in England.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, the Government will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. The Government will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that retailers and supermarkets display clear and consistent animal welfare information on packing and labels to help consumers to make informed choices.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, the Government will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. The Government will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to secure a debate on animal welfare and progress on the animal welfare strategy.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A Westminster Hall Debate on the Animal Welfare Strategy was held on 21 January 2026. Parliament will be updated in the usual way as the Strategy progresses.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if will she publish clear timelines for the delivery of all commitments in the Animal Welfare Strategy.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Animal Welfare Strategy sets out the priority issues the Government will address, focusing on the changes and improvements Defra aims to achieve by 2030. Policies will be delivered throughout this time.
Defra has already launched consultations on phasing out cages for laying hens and improving lamb welfare which run until 9 March. Defra has also confirmed that a public consultation seeking views on how to deliver a full ban on trail hunting will be held this year. Other commitments in the strategy will be taken forward in a phased approach to keep up momentum on improving the lives of millions of animals.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to make water social tariff (a) eligibility, (b) discount levels and (c) application processes (i) transparent and (ii) subject to government oversight.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra expects water companies to ensure that their customers know what support schemes are available and how to access them if they need help. Companies offer a range of support schemes for customers struggling to afford their bills, including social tariffs, WaterSure, debt support schemes, financial hardship funds, flexible payment plans and payment breaks. Defra is working with water companies to ensure social tariffs are more consistent and taken up by those most in need.