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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have made for the nationalisation of water companies.

Water companies are commercial entities. However, as you would expect, the Government prepares for a range of scenarios across its regulated industries – including water – as any government would.

The Defra Secretary of State and Ofwat (with consent of the Secretary of State) have the power to request the court to place a company in Special Administration Regime so that its business can either be rescued or transferred as a going concern to new owners.