Paul Davies

Paul Davies

Labour — Colne Valley

Speaking in the House of Commons on 14 September 2026

Debate

Water Sector: Public Ownership

Contribution

I will bring in the hon. Gentleman later, but first I will make a bit of progress. While the steps I mentioned signify some progress—and they are welcome—they only tinker at the edges of reform. I am concerned that the Government have failed to address the fundamental error of the past four decades: while water remains a commodity, it will never deliver an outcome in the interests of the public or the environment. It was disappointing to learn that the Government did not even permit the Independent Water Commission to consider alternative ownership models, including whether public ownership was an option. That signifies a further issue, which is the continued lack of democratic inclusion in the decisions that affect the sector.

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