Speeches by Gelderd.

“A question on usage. I note that South West has failed to reduce water consumption per capita and efforts to reduce leakage across the Pennon Group have had mixed results, I think it is fair to say. Is this increasing the risk of future usage bans in the area?”

“Do you accept that your reporting methods for leaks and consumer usage figures are inadequate? If so, what are you doing to improve them?”

“Thank you; I think in the interests of time we will have to move on.”

“Okay, moving on, we have already heard about serious concerns including incidents in Lostwithiel and across Cornwall and Devon. In 2022, the Environment Agency said that South West Water showed “Complacency” and “Were not honest, open and transparent with regulators about their drought projections and potential risks t…”

“Do you agree with the Environment Agency’s assessment that you were not being transparent with regulators?”

“Okay, moving on, we have already heard about serious concerns including incidents in Lostwithiel and across Cornwall and Devon. In 2022, the Environment Agency said that South West Water showed “Complacency” and “Were not honest, open and transparent with regulators about their drought projections and potential risks t…”

“So, you don’t agree?”

“Do you agree with the Environment Agency’s assessment that you were not being transparent with regulators?”

“So, you don’t agree?”

“Briefly, let us return to a vital question raised earlier by the Chair: can you confirm as CEO, did you know about the non-disclosure agreements signed by customers—yes or no?”

“This is another example of a concern around transparency: I have asked you a question about, do you agree with their assessment, and I do not feel that I am getting a transparent answer, similarly to my question around the non-disclosure agreements. As CEO, you would have been aware, or you should have been aware, and …”

“I think it is quite unacceptable to come before the Committee without an answer to a question you would probably have been expecting to answer. Can you at least outline what areas those NDAs covered?”

“A question on usage. I note that South West has failed to reduce water consumption per capita and efforts to reduce leakage across the Pennon Group have had mixed results, I think it is fair to say. Is this increasing the risk of future usage bans in the area?”

“I think it is quite unacceptable to come before the Committee without an answer to a question you would probably have been expecting to answer. Can you at least outline what areas those NDAs covered?”

“Briefly, let us return to a vital question raised earlier by the Chair: can you confirm as CEO, did you know about the non-disclosure agreements signed by customers—yes or no?”

“Do you accept that your reporting methods for leaks and consumer usage figures are inadequate? If so, what are you doing to improve them?”

“Good. I look forward to talking about it. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill that is going through now places substantial additional responsibilities on Natural England. How will you be resourcing Natural England to undertake these new functions? Will you receive an overall increase in funding or are you expecting to…”

“Secretary of State, do you believe that you are prioritising sufficient funding for those environmental regulators and for environmental protection work within local authorities and within Natural England which, as we have already mentioned, is facing up to 200 job cuts?”

“Yes. The Committee always appreciates a yes or no answer and we look forward to engaging with you as those plans come forward. The review required Departments to identify biodiversity as well as carbon benefits within the process of the spending review. Did DEFRA do its own appraisal of the monetary value of those envi…”

“That is good to hear. The Treasury has said that the spending review will prioritise delivering the Government’s missions. Secretary of State, are you concerned that nature does not feature in the remit of any of those five mission boards?”