Independent Water Commission Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Scott Arthur
Main Page: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)Department Debates - View all Scott Arthur's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Independent Water Commission
Scott Arthur Excerpts(1 day, 18 hours ago)
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Steve Reed
People will have the right to go to the ombudsman to take up complaints such as that one, or any other complaint. Previously, there was no statutory ombudsman that water customers could have recourse to when they faced problems. We will bring one in, and it will operate alongside the much-increased levels of compensation that we have already introduced through the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, which my hon. Friend supported.
Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)
I congratulate the Secretary of State on the scale of ambition he has shown today. Although there are many issues in the water sector in Scotland—not least the combined sewer overflow discharges into the Water of Leith at Colinton Dell—one thing we understand is that to reduce CSO spills, we have to reduce the amount of rainfall going into our combined pipes, which is done through planning in Scotland. The Cunliffe report makes clear that it is time to enact schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, which would do the same in England. Will the Secretary of State take that recommendation forward?