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 help improve coordination between Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate in regulating water and sewerage undertakers.

Defra is working closely with the existing regulators, including Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate, to strengthen coordination across the regulatory system. This includes supporting the regulators in their work to actively join up and improve coordination, championing a ‘one organisation’ approach on key areas of delivery ahead of establishment of the new single regulator. This will simplify the requirements of water companies, reduce duplication and deliver better regulation for improved outcomes across the entire water system.