Question follow-through · 112959
Water Companies: Debts
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Ofwat in preventing excessive debt accumulation in the water sector.
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 Feb 2026
- Target answer date
- 23 Feb 2026
- Answer
- 24 Feb 2026 · 13 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
- Total Allowable Catches · 25 Feb 2026
- Fishing Catches · 25 Feb 2026
- Marine Protected Areas · 25 Feb 2026
- Marine Animals: Fishing Catches · 25 Feb 2026
- Fishing Catches: Prosecutions · 25 Feb 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 Feb 2026
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Ofwat in preventing excessive debt accumulation in the water sector.
23 Feb 2026
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
24 Feb 2026
Answer published
The Independent Water Commission (IWC) assessed the issue of water companies accumulating excessive debt. It concluded that Ofwat has not been effective in preventing excessive debt accumulation in the water sector. In response, the government committed i...
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.
Total Allowable Catches
25 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science report on the number of Total Allowable Catches that follow scientific advice.
Fishing Catches
25 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of overfishing on costs to the fishing industry.
Marine Protected Areas
25 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which sites she plans to designate as high seas marine protected areas.
Marine Animals: Fishing Catches
25 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many reports of marine mammal bycatch were made by fishermen in the last three years.
Fishing Catches: Prosecutions
25 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many infraction notices have been issued for illegal discarding in the fishing sector in the last three years.
Total Allowable Catches
25 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department incorporates discard estimates into the setting of total allowable catches in the fishing industry.
Litter: Food
25 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Voluntary Code of Practice for Food on the Go in reducing litter; and whether she made an assessment of the potential merits of
Biodiversity and Climate Change
2 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the public's understanding of increasing climate change and biodiversity loss; and what steps she is taking to help raise public awarene
Sewage: Infrastructure
9 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of sewage treatment infrastructure capacity when planning authorities consider new housing developments in areas where sewage treatment work
Flood Control: Planning Permission
9 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will take steps to help ensure that development is not approved where wastewater infrastructure capacity is insufficient.
Sewage: Gloucestershire
9 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the operational capacity of Ampney St Peter Sewage Treatment Works in Gloucestershire.
Sewage: Infrastructure
9 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department provides to water companies and planning authorities on determining when sewage treatment works have sufficient capacity to accommodate additional developm