Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 impact of the (a) ban on controlled heather burning on deep peat and (b) definition of deep peat on the risk of wildfires.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Evidence shows that burning is damaging to peatlands and can increase their long-term vulnerability to wildfires. The amendments to The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 significantly increase the area of peatland protected, helping to reduce the impacts of wildfire in the future.
The Government’s full response to the public consultation, which includes sections on wildfire and peat depth, can be found here - Summary of responses and government response - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 8 September 2025 to Question 69834 on Water Charges, whether households can request that the smart element of smart water meters is deinstalled.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Smart water meters provide an increased regularity of data, in comparison to standard meters, which enables water companies to identify leaks in the property and can help incentivise more water efficient behaviours assisting in reducing overall water consumption. If customers are concerned about their bills increasing, many companies offer the option to switch to the lowest tariff if they find that their metered bill is more expensive.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 69834 on Water Charges, whether participation in tariff pilots is optional.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All water companies have committed to carrying out a charging trial by 2030. Ofwat has set good practice principles for the charging trials, which all companies must follow.
In designing their trials, companies are required to consult with the Consumer Council for Water to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable consumers or exclude them from trials where appropriate. This means that customers who may be struggling to pay their water bills are protected whilst the trials are carried out.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 8 September 2025 to Question 72871 on Social Tariffs, whether the increase in customers on social tariffs will result in increased bills for other customers.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Statutory guidance requires companies to balance their support for low-income households against the interests of other customers.
In their business plans for the period between 2025–2030, some companies have committed to shareholder contributions to financial support schemes such as social tariffs and matched debt repayments.
The projected number of customers on social tariffs between 2025-2030 has already been factored into price controls; any additional increase will not affect bill levels for other customers.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 10 July 2025 to Question 64768 on Water: Prices, what estimate Ofwat has made of the average increase in water bills for homes with gardens affected by seasonal water metering.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat has not conducted a specific bill impact assessment for homes with gardens for companies trialling this method of charging.
South West Water estimated that 55% of household customers would save on its seasonal saver tariff and 95% of customers would save on its summer peak tariff; South West Water has designed the trial to be revenue neutral within the trial groups. Anglian Water has estimated that 2 out of every 3 customers would be no worse off or marginally better off under its seasonal tariffs, compared with its standard charge.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 10 July 2025 to Question 64767 on Waster Charges: Social Tariff, what recent estimate Ofwat has made of the (a) average cost to households of the cross-subsidy for social tariffs and (b) potential impact of proposed changes to social tariffs on the average cost to households in each year between 2025 and 2030.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At PR24 Ofwat challenged companies to address customer concerns about the affordability of water bills in the 2025-2030 period and asked them to set out the measures that they would take and how they would fund these measures.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 9 July 2025 to Question 64455 on Water Charges, whether households are able to opt-out of pilots on (a) rising block tariffs and progressive water metering and (b) seasonal water metering.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to delivering for customers. Following the Independent Water Commission report, the Government will establish a new statutory water ombudsman - a single, free service to help customers resolve complaints such as incorrect bills. Additionally, the amount of compensation customers are legally entitled to when key standards are not met has been more than doubled. Further updates to the Guaranteed Standards Scheme are due to come into force in October.
Several water companies are currently trialling a range of charging approaches, such as seasonal tariffs and rising block tariffs. Through these trials the sector will learn how to best support customers with their water bills.
Companies are responsible for their own charges and for designing and running their trials to test new charging structures. Companies can design their trials in a range of ways within the good practice principles for charging trials outlined by Ofwat.
In designing their trials, companies are required to consult with the Consumer Council for Water to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable consumers or exclude them from trials where appropriate.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 9 July 2025 to Question 64498 on Waste Disposal: Fixed Penalties, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of instances of local authorities using fly-tipping powers to fine households for breaches of waste receptacle offences that would not permit a waste receptacle fine under the harm to local amenity test.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government has not made an assessment of the potential implications for the department’s policies of instances of local authorities using fly-tipping powers to fine households for breaches of waste receptacle offences that would not permit a waste receptacle fine under the harm to local amenity test.
The principles of the Regulators Code apply to enforcement action carried out by local authorities. This includes that regulatory activity should be carried out in a way which is proportionate, transparent, accountable and consistent.
We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise existing enforcement powers.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether water companies are permitted to fund social tariffs by passing costs to other residential customers.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Social Tariffs are voluntary schemes designed and administered by water companies to provide a discounted water bill to qualifying customers who are unable to pay their water bill in full.
These schemes are permitted to be funded through cross subsidies from customers under s44 Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Welsh Government on their Collections Blueprint 2025.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No such discussions have taken place, however regular engagement take place with the devolved governments on matters of shared interest as necessary, including at the Interministerial Group (EFRA)