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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings of the Water Delivery Taskforce have been held to discuss South East Water's performance since 13 November 2025.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra and the regulators have met regularly with South East Water since 13 November 2025 to discuss company performance. The Water Delivery Taskforce met with South East Water on 21 April 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to set out a timetable and a strategy for expanding the number of National Landscapes.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Natural England (NE) is the organisation which has powers to designate National Landscapes (formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, AONBs).

NE is working on proposals to extend the boundary of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, and to create a new National Landscape in the Yorkshire Wolds. The package of evidence for each designation project is expected to be submitted to the Secretary of State (SoS) in Summer 2026. The SoS will then make a decision for each project.

There is no formal application process for National Landscape designation and NE takes an evidence-led approach, guided by government policy steers. Beyond the present projects, Defra is prioritising support for our existing Protected Landscapes.

Found: Jones MP, The Baroness McIntosh of Pickering, Ms Chi Onwurah MP, The Rt Hon John Spellar MP, Mr Tom Tugendhat