Question follow-through · 89498
Microplastics: East Sussex
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Ofwat and (b) the Environment Agency on the biobeads spill in Sussex; and whether Southern Water will be fined for that spill.
About this written question
A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.
- Answering body
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Tabled
- 11 Nov 2025
- Target answer date
- 17 Nov 2025
- Answer
- 17 Nov 2025 · 6 calendar days after tabling
Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.
More questions by this MP on Environment and energy
- Water Companies: Regulation · 2 Jan 2026
- Water Supply · 21 Jan 2026
- Water Supply · 20 Feb 2026
- Water Companies: Microplastics · 20 Feb 2026
- Water: Regulation · 18 May 2026
Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.
Votes on this topic
- Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 5 · 1 Jul 2026
- Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 4 · 1 Jul 2026
- Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 2 · 1 Jul 2026
These Commons divisions share a topic label. The question did not necessarily lead to a vote.
Recorded timeline
11 Nov 2025
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Ofwat and (b) the Environment Agency on the biobeads spill in Sussex; and whether Southern Water will be fined for that spill.
17 Nov 2025
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
17 Nov 2025
Answer published
Environment Agency (EA) officers have been working with all local partners on the initial and long term clean up strategy and have gathered the necessary evidence from impacted areas. The EA will apply their enforcement and sanctions policy when deciding ...
Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.
Later records
Possible follow-up questions
Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.
Water Companies: Regulation
2 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish the Water Sector Reform White Paper.
Water Supply
21 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled A new vision for water: white paper, published on 20 January 2026, how members of the working groups were selected; which (a) people and (b)
Water Supply
20 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to UIN 107393, where the Minister responded that "there was not a formal working group for the White Paper", to clarify whether her Department intends to issue a correction to
Water Companies: Microplastics
20 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to UIN 89500, if she will publish a list of water companies which confirmed the use biobeads.
Water: Regulation
18 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with trade unions on the proposed new water regulator for England.
Water: Regulation
20 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether steps are being taken to provide staff transferring to a new water regulator in England with (a) a single set of terms and conditions, (b) access to the Civil Service Pension S
Water: Regulation
20 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of ensuring a nationwide presence of offices for the new water regulator in England.
Water Companies
20 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether there were (a) formal minutes and (b) formal agendas for the meetings held between Ministers and Water company CEOs for the last three months of 2025.