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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to (a) designate and (b) deliver a national water transfer network to enable the movement of water between regions.

Government is committed to a twin track approach to improving water resilience. This involves urgent action to improve water efficiency and reduce water company leaks, alongside investing in new supply infrastructure, including new reservoirs and water transfers. £104 billion of private sector investment has been secured for the 2025-2030 period. This will fund essential infrastructure. For water supplies, this will progress delivery of nine new reservoirs and large-scale water transfer schemes by 2050.

Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers. When preparing their Water Resources Management Plans, they must consider all options, including demand management and new water resources infrastructure, including reservoirs and transfers.