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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the maximum (1) individual, and (2) corporate penalties, for falsifying data provided to Ofwat on the performance of sewage treatment sites.

Ofwat’s powers allow it to take action against a company rather than an individual. Under section 22A of the Water Industry Act 1991 Ofwat can impose financial penalties of up to 10 per cent of a company’s annual turnover for a breach of legal obligation. Misreporting is classified as a breach of a water company’s licence condition. Calculation of turnover is made in relation to either the water business or the sewerage services business, unless the breach relates to both parts of the business.