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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to publish best practice guidelines as part of water resource management plans to ensure that the right solutions can be delivered at competitive prices.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ofwat and the Environment Agency published joint water resources management planning guidance in 2012. This included the expectation that water companies should consider all options to balance supply with demand, including water trading, cross boundary solutions and third party supplier solutions. Updated guidance is currently being prepared for publication for the next planning round.