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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Yorkshire Water’s policy of not providing information signage or lifesaving equipment near open water.

I convened a roundtable in July with ministers and representatives from across government to reinforce the importance of keeping people safe around water. I was clear that all organisations must keep working to reduce risks.

Following the roundtable, I wrote to water companies, Defra’s arm’s-length bodies and local authorities responsible for designated bathing waters, reiterating the importance of taking appropriate steps to keep people safe around water and seeking further information about their ongoing work.