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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Ofwat on Ofwat's document entitled Statutory consultation on changing our Wholesale Charging Rules and Charges Scheme Rules to promote greater water efficiency, published on 18 June 2026, including the proposal on allowing differences in charging based on incentives to promote water efficiency and the associated environmental and wider societal benefits; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of those proposals.

Ofwat is responsible for setting charging rules. Government expects Ofwat to have regard to their Strategic Policy Statement when setting charges and officials engage with Ofwat throughout the consultation process.