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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason Ofwat's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2025-28 refers to gender rather than sex awareness.

Ofwat's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy makes reference to "gender" in relation to the statutory Gender Pay Gap. Further references to gender are intended to be interpreted broadly and to include both sex and gender identities that do not align with sex at birth. This helps Ofwat to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty, which covers protected characteristics including both sex and gender reassignment, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.