Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps he is considering to support small and medium sized businesses operating in high street premises.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government’s Plan for Small Businesses sets out measures to support high street businesses by addressing crime, updating our licensing regime and targeting funding through our Pride in Place and High Street and Growth Incubator programmes. Businesses on the high street are also benefitting from new tools to access finance, action on late payments and regulatory costs, greater digital adoption and easier access to business support through the Business Growth Service.

Permanently lower business rate multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties announced last year are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. Alongside this we introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion to protect ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills due to revaluation.

Further action will be announced in a new High Streets Strategy later this year.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many leaks were reported across water supply infrastructure in Barking constituency over the last five years.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency monitors water company leakage through annual reporting across a 12-month period, assessing delivery against Water Resources Management Plans. Water companies have committed to reducing leakage by 50% from 2017/18 levels by 2050. Under the Environment Act 2021, the statutory Water Demand Target includes an interim target to reduce leakage by 30% by 2032, helping put companies on a pathway to meet the 2050 commitment. Government is also supporting smart meter rollout, which can help identify leakage through more timely and accurate data.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Thames Water regarding sewage discharge in the River Roding.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Thames Water assets, including sewage treatment works, pumping stations, sewers and surface water outfalls, are regularly considered in pollution investigations within the River Roding catchment. Thames Water is progressing Environment Agency approved Asset Management Period 8 (AMP8) schemes, including storm overflow investigations, enhanced monitoring and infrastructure upgrades, to reduce pollution and sewage discharge impacts.

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 improve water quality of the River Thames tributaries such as the River Roding.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The River Roding is affected by wastewater discharges, urban drainage and sewer misconnections. The Environment Agency works with partners to address these pressures through the Government’s Plan for Water. Under Thames Water’s Asset Management Period 8 (AMP8) programme, investigations, enhanced monitoring and storm overflow improvements are being delivered to reduce pollution impacts.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Devolution, Local Growth and Communities, the hon. member for Barking, received a Ministerial severance payment upon leaving Government.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Devolution, Local Growth and Communities, the hon. member for Barking, was not entitled to and did not receive a severance payment from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as they served less than six months in their ministerial position.