Committee publication · Correspondence · 13 May 2025
Correspondence to Ruth Jefferson, CEO, Wessex Water regarding Reforming the water sector inquiry, dated 13 May 2025
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Reforming the water sector
Summary
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee writes to Wessex Water's CEO requesting detailed information on remuneration models, dividend policies, and spending on advertising and legal fees. The committee seeks cross-industry understanding of these practices, citing concerns about bonus culture, dividend payments, and the use of customer bill money for legal action against regulators.
Key findings
- Committee expresses concern about the culture of bonuses and dividend payments across the water sector and varying standards applied by different companies
- Committee seeks details on how remuneration committees are selected and composed at Wessex Water
- Committee requests Wessex Water's current senior executive bonus policy and how it has evolved over five years
- Committee is concerned about bill payer money being spent on advertisements and legal action against Ofwat, the Environment Agency, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate
- Committee requests a five-year breakdown of spending on advertising and legal fees, with rationale for such expenditure
Tone
ProceduralTopics
water-regulationcorporate-governanceremunerationpublic-finance
Key actors
Ruth Jefferson, Wessex Water, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Ofwat, Environment Agency, Drinking Water Inspectorate
Notable line
“My Committee remains concerned about the culture of bonuses and paying dividends and the varying standards being applied.”
Key Quotes
“My Committee remains concerned about the culture of bonuses and paying dividends and the varying standards being applied.”
“My Committee is also concerned about bill payer money being spent on advertisements and legal action against Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗