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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure regulators sponsored by his Department have sufficient resources for enforcement work.

The department recognises the vital role that regulators play in the context of enforcement. The enforcement powers of bodies such as Ofwat and the Environment Agency are key to ensuring companies meet their obligations across the water and waste sectors in England and Wales. The Water (Special Measures) Bill, which was introduced into Parliament on 4 September, will strengthen the power of the water industry regulators and expand the cost recovery powers available to the regulators, enabling them to recover their costs for enforcement action from water companies.

Officials work closely with Defra’s public bodies throughout each spending review period, to agree enforcement plans and the required resources.