Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's policy on hydrogen on the (a) demand and (b) supply of water.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We require projects to have robust plans in place for sustainable water sourcing, including gaining abstraction licenses from the EA in England and SEPA in Scotland where required, and assess these when support is sought under Hydrogen Allocation Rounds. The Government’s forthcoming Hydrogen Strategy will build on previous work to elaborate on how water supply constraints are being considered in planning for the hydrogen economy.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to address (a) over-abstraction, (b) phosphorus loading, and (c) urban development pressures on chalk streams.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is a core ambition of our overall programme of work to clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.
We are tackling one of the biggest threats to chalk streams by reducing harmful abstraction by an estimated 126 million litres daily by 2030, protecting vital water flows to these fragile ecosystems. In June 2025, the Environment Agency (EA) updated its National Framework for Water Resources, which sets out the importance of chalk streams and how we will include their needs in all water resources planning and decision making.
The government recognises that nutrient pollution is a key pressure affecting chalk streams. Under the Environment Act 2021, we have a legally binding target to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agriculture entering the water environment by 40% by 2038.
With regard to impacts from urban development, the EA is a statutory consultee for planning applications and advise on the potential environmental impacts of a development, including matters relating to water.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency (a) plans to issue and (b) has already issued a drought permit to Thames Water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty to produce a drought plan outlining actions the company will take to maintain water supplies during dry weather and drought. Such actions include applying for drought permits. Only water companies can apply to the Environment Agency (EA) for a drought permit. Drought permits allow water companies to either:
Thames Water is following its drought plan, and this contains details of drought permits and when the company may apply to the Environment Agency. The decision to apply for a drought permit, is the responsibility of the water company. As of 1 September 2025, Thames Water has not applied to the EA for a drought permit.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of drought on farmers in the South West; and what steps he is taking to help mitigate that impact.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Drought has led to an early harvest with a reduction in crop quality and yields. Livestock farmers are facing a growing risk with forage, winter feed supplies and consequently buying additional food or selling animals to reduce pressure on supplies.
Measures to support farmers include:
An updated prospect report will be published this autumn to inform farmers of the water resources situation in order to improve resilience and planning for next year.
Asked by: Alice Macdonald (Labour (Co-op) - Norwich North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the pressures on water resources in Norfolk; and what steps he is taking with local partners to reduce those pressures.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The entire eastern England region is classified as seriously water stressed. Norfolk is one of the driest parts of the country with only 600mm rainfall per year which is two thirds of the national average. Norfolk supports some of England’s most precious and sensitive river and wetland habitats. Climate change is bringing more frequent extreme events such as droughts, floods and increasing pressure on the environment and water supplies. Rainfall this spring has been 40% of average, putting pressure on the environment and water supplies.
Natural England (NE) has an ongoing monitoring programme for protected sites identifying their condition and the pressures acting on them. NE is working in partnership with Defra bodies and stakeholders to protect and restore our water-dependent environment and develop sustainable resilient water supplies for the future.
The Environment Agency (EA) is working with Water Resources East, public water companies, agriculture, and other sectors to ensure water abstractions are environmentally sustainable. In Norfolk, abstraction licences were last reviewed and re-issued in 2017/18 and are due for review in 2029/30. The EA closely monitors water resources and advises abstractors on water availability via the Water Abstraction Alerts service. Due to continuing hot and dry conditions Norfolk will move into Prolonged Dry Weather on 21 July.
The EA has, in partnership with NE, Cambridge Water, Essex & Suffolk Water, Affinity Water, and Anglian Water, published a guide on Shared Standards in Water Efficiency for Local Plans. It supports Local Planning Authorities in delivering sustainable growth across East Anglia, highlighting the region’s serious water stress. The guide promotes clean, sustainable water supply as essential for growth and nature recovery.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
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 take steps to implement the recommendations in the Chalk Stream Recovery Pack for the (a) Loddon, (b) Whitewater and (c) Lyde rivers in North East Hampshire constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Over the next five years water companies will spend more than £2 billion to deliver over 1,000 actions for chalk stream restoration and reduce their abstraction from chalk streams by 126 million litres per day. The Government is investing £1.8 million through the Water Restoration Fund and Water Environment Improvement Fund into chalk stream projects for locally-led chalk stream clean-up projects across affected regions.
This funding is going to essential local project, to deliver real improvements to chalk streams. In 2025/26, South East Rivers Trust are receiving £25,000 from the Environment Agency’s Chalk Partnership Fund for the ‘Fish Recovery on the Whitewater’ project. This will enable the development of a fish recovery plan, focusing on improved fish passage and resilience to low flows. At Basingstoke Wastewater Treatment Works on the River Loddon, a reduction in phosphorous discharge to 0.25mg/l is planned for delivery by 2030, with storm overflow improvements following in future AMP cycles to meet government targets.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the annual investment in partnership projects to improve chalk catchments will support the National Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Over the next five years water companies will spend more than £2 billion to deliver over 1,000 actions for chalk stream restoration and reduce their abstraction from chalk streams by 126 million litres per day. The Government is investing £1.8 million through the Water Restoration Fund and Water Environment Improvement Fund into chalk stream projects for locally-led chalk stream clean-up projects across affected regions.
This funding is going to essential local project, to deliver real improvements to chalk streams. In 2025/26, South East Rivers Trust are receiving £25,000 from the Environment Agency’s Chalk Partnership Fund for the ‘Fish Recovery on the Whitewater’ project. This will enable the development of a fish recovery plan, focusing on improved fish passage and resilience to low flows. At Basingstoke Wastewater Treatment Works on the River Loddon, a reduction in phosphorous discharge to 0.25mg/l is planned for delivery by 2030, with storm overflow improvements following in future AMP cycles to meet government targets.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect water supply during summer months in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Surrey Heath constituency sits in the Environment Agency (EA) Thames Area. The Area has moved into 'Prolonged Dry Weather' status following significantly below average rainfall. As a result, EA and water company drought plans have been activated to secure water supplies. Defra and the EA are working closely with water companies and EA is managing water abstraction licences in the area to ensure existing water users and the environment remain protected.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to introduce regulatory limits on the volume of water extracted out at sea, following the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to protecting the natural environment and will consider any relevant issues and options as they arise.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Moroccan counterpart on the potential impact of draining the aquifer under Dhakla, Western Sahara on the production by Moroccan companies of produce for export.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No such discussions have taken place. It is for companies to take their own decisions on whether to do business in Western Sahara, as elsewhere.