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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of nationalising Thames Water.

The Government has no plans to nationalise Thames Water or any other water company.

It would cost billions of pounds and take years to unpick the current ownership model, slowing down our reforms and only worsening sewage pollution.

However, this Government stands ready to intervene to ensure the continued provision of vital public services – through the use of a Special Administration Regime (SAR) – should this be required.

A SAR is not a form of renationalisation.