Lord Katz (Lab)

I know that the noble Baroness has taken a long interest in SUDS, and I want to reassure her and the House that the Government are strongly committed to improving the implementation of sustainable drainage systems. In December 2024, we made changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to support increased delivery of SUDS; the new planning policy framework now requires all developments to utilise SUDS where they could have drainage impacts appropriate to the nature and scale of the development. In June last year, the Government introduced new national standards to make clear that SUDS should be used to cope with the change in climatic conditions and deliver wider benefits. We are now consulting on a revised National Planning Policy Framework, including for flood risk and sustainable drainage systems, and separately on proposals to increase the adoption of shared amenities with guidance to ensure lifetime maintenance. As the noble Baroness has raised the current situation on the ground in Kent and parts of Sussex, I want to make it clear that restoring supply must be the company’s priority and every possible measure must be taken to protect vulnerable customers and ensure that those affected receive decent and proper compensation. To that extent, Defra Ministers are meeting daily with the chief executive of the water company and local MPs to reinforce the fact that this level of service failure cannot continue.