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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 116 of the Annual Report and Accounts of the Environment Agency for 2022-23 published on 26 October 2023, what the purpose of the contract that has been subject to an adjudication process was; with which contractor that contract was agreed; and what the status is of that contract as of 7 November 2023.

The accounts disclosed that there was an adjudication, however this adjudication dealt with preliminary issues in the commercial dispute and the dispute itself remains live. As the dispute remains live it would be inappropriate to provide further comment since this could adversely affect the course of justice, and potentially prejudice the Environment Agency’s position in the dispute.