Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

7 July 2026

Contents updated on 7 Jul 2026

From the Committee’s opening, members interrogate DEFRA’s oversight of water companies, focusing on Thames Water’s financial position, use of Special Administration Regime powers, performance improvement demands, ownership options including nationalisation, and the interaction between executive bonuses, Ofwat enforcement and the legal thresholds for triggering SAR.

Committee Tue, 7 Jul 2026 Actual start 14:15 House of Commons

15:04 - 15:34

Speaker 1

Order, order.

Good afternoon and welcome to this meeting of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. We return to our ongoing inquiry today in relation to the work of the department and its arms-length bodies. We're delighted to have with us this afternoon the Secretary of State and a coterie of minders and advisors. Emma, just for the benefit of the official record and for those who are following our proceedings, can I invite you just to introduce yourself and your colleagues to the committee, please?

15:34 - 15:41

Speaker 6

So, I'm Emma Reynolds, I'm the Secretary of State. If I could let my colleagues introduce themselves, that would be nice.

15:41 - 15:44

Speaker 5

Thank you. David Hill, Director General for Strategy and Water.

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