Barry Gardiner MP: written questions 2026
76 published records · newest first.
Written questions
BiodiversityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17295More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish baseline data for the extent of degraded ecosystems in terrestrial, inland waters and the marine environments in the UK in line with Target 2 of the Global Biodiver
Answer: The Government publishes a wide range of data relevant to ecosystem condition and restoration across terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. In the marine environment, assessments of progress towards Good Environmental Status are publicly availab...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBiodiversityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17294More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made in delivering Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity framework.
Answer: The UK’s 7th National Report, published in February 2026, reaffirms the UK’s commitment to achieving all 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework at home, and shows that the UK has solid foundations in place and meaningful progress being made acros...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordThames Water: InsolvencyTreasuryTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7982More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to UIN 5852, what advice her department has received from the ONS regarding the implications for ONS classification if Thames Water was taken into Special Administration.
Answer: HM Treasury has not asked for, nor received, any advice from the ONS regarding the implications for ONS classification if Thames Water was taken into Special Administration.
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7978More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she agrees with Recommendation 46 of the Independent Water Commission.
Answer: Our White Paper commits to taking forward Recommendation 46 of the IWC. We will make it easier for a company’s owners to change their ownership model, by ensuring the new regulator has a transparent process to assess whether an ownership change should go ...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7977More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of the inclusion of Recommendation 46 of the Independent Water Commission in full in the Water White Paper.
Answer: Our White Paper commits to taking forward Recommendation 46 of the IWC. We will make it easier for a company’s owners to change their ownership model, by ensuring the new regulator has a transparent process to assess whether an ownership change should go ...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: InsolvencyTreasuryTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6714More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her Department has had with the NAO on the use of the Special Administration Regime in the water sector.
Answer: HM Treasury has not held discussions with the National Audit Office (NAO) on the use of the Special Administration Regime in the water sector.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: InsolvencyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6713More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the NAO on the use of the Special Administration Regime in the water sector.
Answer: The UK Government and the National Audit Office regularly engage in discussions on economic issues as part of ongoing stakeholder relations.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: InsolvencyTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5852More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her department has had with the ONS regarding the use of the Special Administration Regime in the water sector.
Answer: HM Treasury and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) regularly discuss matters in the UK economy which could affect ONS classification decisions, as part of regular stakeholder engagement.
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWaterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5286More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to designate bathing water status to the 2,487 recreationally-used freshwater sites identified by the Environment Agency which currently do not have such s
Answer: The Government designates bathing waters following a public application and consultation process. This means the process is driven by individuals and groups with direct ties to sites highly popular with bathers, who best understand how they are used and v...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: InsolvencyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5285More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her department has had with the ONS regarding the use of the Special Administration Regime in the water sector.
Answer: The UK Statistics Authority (which includes the ONS) is a Non Ministerial Department sponsored by the Cabinet Office. At present, DEFRA has not had discussions with the ONS regarding the use of SAR in the water sector.
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAssessments: TemperatureDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3745More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to mitigate the potential impact of hot weather on examination results.
Answer: The department recognises the challenges posed by high temperatures during the exam period and has published guidance to support schools in managing hot weather available at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2025/06/hot-weather-and-heatwaves-guidance-for-...
Answered 3 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSchools: Climate ChangeDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3741More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has plans to meet with the Climate Change Committee to discuss the potential impact of climate change on the schools’ estate.
Answer: The department welcomes the Climate Change Committee’s Well-Adapted UK report which highlights risks to critical infrastructure including schools. Departmental officials will be attending engagement sessions with the Climate Change Committee throughout 20...
Answered 3 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCarbon Emissions: Data CentresDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 19 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2680More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government plans to take steps to balance its updated emissions estimates of data centres with the decarbonisation required in the fifth carbon budget.
Answer: Growth in data centre electricity demand is inherently uncertain and, where additional electricity demand does materialise, the UK’s rapidly decarbonising power sector will help to mitigate the emissions impact. We will continue to test a range of data ce...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordData Centres: Public ConsultationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 19 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when the National Policy Statement on data centres will be published for consultation.
Answer: The Government recognises that data centres facilitate the AI development and application that will be critical to the UK’s economic growth, resilience and technological leadership, and is taking coordinated action across planning, energy and digital infr...
Answered 2 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1101More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's policy is on operator self-monitoring.
Answer: We are putting an end to Operator Self-Monitoring and ensuring the public have confidence in the data that is produced from water company assets. We will implement an Open Monitoring approach so everyone can see what is happening, with clear, accessible d...
Answered 19 May 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: ProsecutionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Apr 2026Awaiting answerUIN 129793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 April 2026 to Question 128631, how many of the 5 prosecutions related to offences which took place after 27 March 2020 were for sewage discharge offences.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: ProsecutionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Apr 2026Awaiting answerUIN 129792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 128631 to Question 27 April 2026, if she will list the 37 prosecutions by the (a) name of the water and/or sewage company prosecuted, (b) date of prosecution, (c) date of the offence for which they were prosecuted, (d) financial penalty imposed, and (e) date on which the financial penalty was received from the company.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordThames WaterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129066More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the principal statutory duties are of Thames Water Utilities Limited's licence.
Answer: Under section 37 of the Water Industry Act 1991 a water company has the duty to ensure the supply of water within its area of appointment and to develop and maintain an efficient and economical supply system for that purpose, as well as to ensure arrangem...
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: ProsecutionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April to Question 127788 on Water Companies: Prosecutions, of the 37 completed prosecutions against Water and Sewerage Companies since 27 March 2020, how m
Answer: Of the 37 prosecutions since 27 March 2020, 32 prosecutions were for offences that took place before 27 March 2020, and 5 prosecutions were for offences that took place after 27 March 2020.
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: ProsecutionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many prosecutions the Environment Agency has completed against Water and Sewerage Companies for offences that have taken place since 27 March 2020.
Answer: Since 27 March 2020, there have been 37 completed prosecutions against Water and Sewerage Companies. A water quality prosecution is any criminal proceedings relating to a failure to properly manage water or sewage treatment.
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Written QuestionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127786More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to answer Written Parliamentary Question UIN 123113.
Answer: Written Parliamentary Question UIN 123113 was answered on 16 April 2026.
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Written QuestionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127785More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to answer Written Parliamentary Question UIN 124051.
Answer: Written Parliamentary Question UIN 124051 was answered on 28 April 2026.
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordSewage: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 124437More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, since 27 March 2020, how many offences relating to discharge of sewage from a water company asset have the Environment Agency prosecuted.
Answer: Since 27 March 2020, there have been 37 completed prosecutions against Water and Sewerage Companies. A water quality prosecution is any criminal proceedings relating to a failure to properly manage water or sewage treatment.
Answered 15 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124051More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of to Question 122633, on Water Companies: Repairs and Maintenance, whether her Department will publish the initial cost information on ending operator self-moni
Answer: The Government has committed to ending Operator Self Monitoring. The Environment Agency has provided early, high‑level indicative cost estimates to support the Department’s initial exploration of options for future monitoring arrangements. These figures w...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordThames Water: FTI ConsultingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123576More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings she has had with FTI consulting in which discussions took place regarding placing Thames Water into a Special Administration Regime.
Answer: Officials from Defra continue to meet with FTI Consulting to ensure that this Government is fully prepared for all eventualities, whist working with Ofwat to help support a market-led solution to the company’s issues of financial resilience and operationa...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
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