Water industry faces ‘root and branch reform' after landmark review
The commitment will follow the publication of the final report of the Independent Water Commission led by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe.
In a speech responding to Sir Jon's report, Mr Reed is set to describe the water industry as 'broken' and welcome the commission's recommendations to ensure 'the failures of the past can never happen again'.
He is also widely reported to be preparing to abolish the industry's beleaguered regulator Ofwat, which has faced criticism for overseeing a sharp rise in sewage pollution while failing to crack down on executive pay and large dividends at debt-ridden water companies.
In his interim report, Sir Jon criticised the way the sector was regulated, with duties split between Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
On Sunday, Mr Reed would not confirm that Ofwat was in line to be scrapped, but declined to express confidence in the regulator either, saying it was 'clearly failing'.
Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have agreed that water regulation needs to change.
Urging the Government to be 'transparent' about what would replace Ofwat and how it would work, Tory shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins said: 'No one disputes that the water sector is under pressure, and we all want to see meaningful improvements.
'Reforming regulation must be focused on improving performance and guaranteeing water security.'
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has called for the creation of a Clean Water Authority that could 'hold these water companies to account' and 'fine them when they fail'.
While Mr Reed has pledged to avoid the need for 'huge shock hikes' in water bills, such as the 26% increase seen this year, reform is unlikely to lead to a fall in costs for consumers.
The Government hopes that investment in long-neglected infrastructure will make large bill increases unnecessary, but Mr Reed acknowledged on Sunday that there needed to be 'appropriate bill rises' to secure 'appropriate levels of investment'.
He is also unlikely to commit to expanding social tariffs that could help households struggling with bills at the cost of higher charges for wealthier families, saying he was yet to be convinced that this was needed.
Prior to Monday's announcement, Mr Reed had already committed to halving sewage pollution in England's rivers by 2030 thanks to a £104 billion investment from the sector in upgrading infrastructure.
He has also announced the creation of a new, legally binding water ombudsman, expanding the role of the voluntary Consumer Council for Water and bringing the sector into line with other utilities.
But the Conservatives have accused Labour of copying the policies of the previous government.
Ms Atkins said: 'Labour have already wasted a year since the general election as they came into office with no plans for water, instead claiming that the work we started in office is their own.'
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BBC News
18 minutes ago
- BBC News
Reduced summer timetable on South Western Railway
South Western Railway (SWR) has reduced its summer timetable in order to train drivers on its long-delayed new operator, which became the first to be re-nationalised under Labour in May, said there would be some "minor alterations to services in our suburban area" until 29 said the timetable would affect less than 5% of its 1,600 daily services "at a time when fewer customers are travelling with us" but did not provide specific details on which services were affected.A spokesperson said: "Over the summer holiday period, customer numbers drop by 12-17% and the services we have removed are those with the lowest forecast demand." They added that since the transfer to public ownership, a new trains programme has been unlocked and 14 Arterios are in daily timetable reduction will help protect the driver training programme, while also minimising the risk of on-the-day cancellations due to "colleagues taking their annual leave during the school holidays", the spokesperson would only state an amended timetable would run on the following routes:AltonChessington SouthGuildford via Cobham & Stoke D'AbernonGuildford via WokingHampton CourtLondon Waterloo via RichmondReadingSheppertonWeybridge via ChertseyWindsor & Eton RiversideWoking (stopping services) Earlier this year, the BBC used the Freedom of Information Act to try to uncover the total public cost of the delay in delivering a new fleet of trains, including the additional cost of keeping older trains the Department for Transport responded that, although it did hold the information, it would not reveal the said the number would "prejudice the commercial interests of South Western Railway and the department".
The Guardian
18 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Monday briefing: How automatic voter registration could redraw Britain's political map
Good morning. A 12-year-old today will be able to vote in the next general election, unless it's called early. When I first heard that, I laughed. No wonder there's so much focus on Labour's plan to lower the voting age to 16. But it's another reform that could have a far greater impact on who votes – and who wins. The government has announced plans to introduce automatic voter registration, or AVR, where people are added to the electoral roll using existing government data, such as tax or passport records. Right now, voters in the UK have to register themselves. It's a clunky and outdated system. One study recently the most difficult registration processes in any liberal democracy. The result is that millions of people fall through the cracks. In 2023, about 8 million UK adults weren't correctly registered to vote, according to the Electoral Commission. So what could AVR mean politically? How does it shift power in a significant way, for parties both on the right and the left? 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So where does this under-registration happen? 'It's mostly cities; places like Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol, London. MPs in these inner-city areas are representing larger populations, but that's not reflected in boundary calculations. If legislation goes through and we assume more eligible voters are registered, those people will finally be counted,' he added. Simply put, Tryl explained, this would mean more representation, and more parliamentary seats in urban and student-heavy areas. But with the total number of seats in parliament fixed at 650, that shift would inevitably come at the expense of rural, more affluent constituencies. 'It's hard to argue against the principle of automatic registration, but the boundary changes could make rural constituencies, some of which are already geographically large, even bigger,' Tryl said. Who is set to benefit? The most obvious party set to benefit is Labour, which tends to perform better in urban and student-heavy areas. But Tryl tells me that others are also likely to gain from this change. 'The Greens tend to perform better in inner cities and student areas. Some of the inner-city areas that we're talking about are where the independents have done very well, in parts of Birmingham and potentially in parts of London,' Tryl said. 'The big losers are likely to be the Conservatives, who tend to represent more affluent, high-registration areas, and the Liberal Democrats, who've made gains in the so-called Blue walls – former Tory, leafy, affluent strongholds.' Last week, Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana formally launched a new political party, targeting the very inner-city seats likely to gain from automatic voter registration. Polling suggests the party could capture about 10% of the vote, potentially eating into Labour and Green support. Zack Polanski, who is running to be the next Green party leader, has already said he is open to working with any party willing to challenge Reform. This emerging 'Green-left' alliance could be pivotal in shaping the electoral map. On Friday, the group We Deserve Better, backed by the Guardian columnist Owen Jones, launched a campaign calling for a formal electoral pact between Corbyn and Sultana's party and the Greens. As for Reform UK, it's difficult to draw firm conclusions for now, Tryl said. But previous research (pdf) suggests the party's base is made up largely of older, non‑graduate, culturally conservative voters, many disillusioned with the Conservatives or drawn from the Brexit camp. Will this increase voter turnout? While this reform could have a far bigger effect on the electorate than extending the vote to 16- and 17-year-olds – there are about 1.5 million of them in the UK compared with an estimated eight million eligible voters who aren't registered – it is unlikely to lead to a dramatic surge in turnout, Tryl said. Voter turnout in UK general elections used to be consistently high, staying above 70% from 1945 right up until 1997, and even topping 80% in 1950 and 1951. But it had plunged to just 59.4% by the time Tony Blair secured his second term in 2001. Turnout did climb again between 2010 and 2019, yet it has never returned to 70%. In the most recent election in 2024, it slipped again, landing at 59.7%. 'I think that represents a wider democratic disillusionment and disengagement,' Tryl said, but added that there was public support for AVR. 'Forty-five per cent said they supported it, just 21% opposed. So it is more popular than allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. But clearly that needs to go and sit alongside wider democratic engagement in a nonpartisan way.' People need to feel that voting matters. 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The Herald Scotland
27 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
UN probes Scots judge-led body's 'breach' of international law
Now the Scottish Government will be expected to give answers to a UN committee about the complaint as part of a UK response over compliance. Scotland has since 2011, been found to be in breach of Article 9 of the Aarhus Convention, a binding piece of international legislation that guarantees the right to a healthy environment and enshrines people's rights to defend it in a court of law. The United Nations council which adopted the convention in 1998 gave the Scottish Government a deadline of October 1, 2024 for a plan of action to remove or cut the cost of access to justice as legal cases can often run into tens of thousands of pounds. The ERCS says that makes access to justice to protect the environment unaffordable and while there is a 'loser pays' rule, litigants are liable to pay their opponents fees if they lose their case. The Scottish Government asked the Scottish Civil Justice Council (SCJC) - a public body comprising predominantly senior judges and other members of the judiciary and legal profession which is responsible for keeping the civil justice system under scrutiny - to review the rules on the costs of court actions. Lord Pentland is at the centre of access to justice row (Image: NQ) But despite the review, a UK progress report at the end of last year confirmed the nation has not removed the cost barriers to justice despite the SCJC intervention. They say it continues to breach the convention as they "only made minor changes and no concrete commitments for future reform". In its formal complaint to the UN's Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee, ERCS argued that the SCJC's review has breached Article 8 of the Convention, which requires public bodies to consult the public when making certain laws that can significantly affect the environment. READ MORE: What is the senior judge-led group accused of international law breach? 50 Scots councils seek ministers summit on green energy 'wild west' 'Scots nature in crisis' as one in nine species at risk of extinction It argues that that means there was no say in ensuring that international law was met and that the legal system was affordable. They say the consultation would have required the SCJC to consider and respond to representations from the public. Now the Herald has learnt that the compliance committee has decided that the complaint has been found admissible on a preliminary basis for further investigation despite official opposition. Dr Ben Christman, ERCS's legal director said: 'The way we make decisions matters. Public participation is a critical part of creating fair and functional environmental laws. The Scottish Civil Justice Council failed to consult the public and, predictably, went on to produce legal expenses rules that do not comply with the Aarhus Convention's requirements. Former co-convener of the Scottish Greens, Maggie Chapman has criticised ministers over law breaches over access to justice (Image: NQ) 'We were glad to see that the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee saw through bad faith attempts to knock out our complaint. We hope that the Scottish Government will now respond to our concerns seriously.' The SCJC has denied that there has been a breach. And Scots community safety minister Siobhian Brown has said in a response to a question about the case: "The Scottish Government has every confidence in the work of the Scottish Civil Justice Council." The council is responsible for overseeing civil justice fairness and effectiveness and provides advice on rule changes and recommends improvements while keeping the system under constant review. It is typically made up of between 14 and 20 members and are appointed by its chairman, the most senior judge in Scotland and Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General, Lord Pentland or Scottish ministers. They are predominantly entrenched in Scottish law either as judges, sheriffs, advocates, solicitors or heading up administration. At least four are members of the judiciary including at least one judge from the Court of Session and a sheriff, as well as at least two practising advocates. Other senior judges include on the council are Lady Carmichael, who was appointed as a Senator of the College of Justice in 2016 and Lord Ericht, who became a judge of the Supreme Courts in 2016. The group further includes Malcolm Graham, chief executive of the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Services, Colin Lancaster, the chief executive of the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) It comes amidst growing concern about local democracy being overridden as some of Scotland's most scenic areas face up to hundreds of live renewable projects. A "once in a generation" convention of 53 community councils have been demanding a summit with energy ministers in a fight to pause infrastructure projects. There were over 700 live applications in the Highland Council area alone, ranging from wind and hydro projects to energy storage and transmission grid plans. Councils convention chairman Helen Crawford at Balblair substation near Beauly (Image: Helen Crawford) Calls have been made for the Scottish Government to undertake an inquiry to address the cumulative impact of all major renewable energy infrastructure developments on the communities and landscape fearing projects "may hasten depopulation in some areas". Conservation charity John Muir Trust has previously spoken out of its concerns about the rights to justice after its attempt to challenge a windfarm development eight years ago led to it facing a near £700,000 bill, although this was eventually negotiated down to £275,000. The Trust settled out of court with the Perth-based energy company SSE and the Scottish government after its attempt to block a wind farm through a judicial review near Loch Ness failed. The dispute was over a wind farm at Stronelairg, which is in wild land in the Monadhliath mountains near Loch Ness. Consisting of 67 wind turbines, it was proposed by SSE in 2012 and granted by the Scottish government in June 2014. Glasgow had to exploit a loophole to bring the action in the name of a member who would qualify for legal aid. ERCS said it has had to resorting to questions under the Freedom of Information act on the SCJC process and any proposed new court costs rules. In response to an FOI request, the SCJC indicated in January 2023 that they intended to hold a public consultation on the new costs rules to inform decision-making "later in 2023". But in response to a chaser FOI request in October 2023, the SCJC decided against a consultation "to avoid undue resource impacts for potential respondents". And the ERCS say when the revised rules on Protective Expenses Orders - which limit a liability for costs in certain types of legal cases - came into force at the end of last year it was without public consultation and they say that they remain non-compliant with the Aarhus Convention. The Scottish Environment LINK (SEL) coalition of more than 30 leading charities said the SCJC failure was a "disappointing development which further damages accountability and the quality of environmental decision-making in Scotland". The SCJC has said that the latest amendments to the PEO rules was the first step in a process and that the review on costs as it relates to the sheriff court remains ongoing with a public consultation due to take place this year. Dr Shivali Fifield, ERCS's chief officer, said: "We submitted this complaint to uphold our right to participate in environmental decision-making. Scotland has been in breach of the Aarhus Convention's access to justice requirements since 2014. This is the third time the Scottish Civil Justice Council has reviewed rules on legal expenses and yet it remains prohibitively expensive to defend the environment in court. "Access to justice is not a favour, it is integral to our environmental human rights. We know that there is support for environmental justice across the political parties - and we will continue to hold the Scottish Government accountable until we see the barriers to justice removed." An analysis backed by Scotland's nature agency found wildlife is "in crisis" in 2023 with one in nine animals and plants being at risk of becoming extinct north of the border. A State of Nature Scotland analysis, backed by the [[Scottish Government]]'s [[Nature]]Scot agency and published by a partnership of over 50 nature and conservation organisations, warned the risk of extinction among some groups, such as vertebrates, is much higher at more than a third (36.5%). The most notable declines were with familiar birds such as swifts, curlews and lapwings which have declined by more than 60%. Kestrels have declined by more than 70%. A spokesperson for the Scottish Civil Justice Council said: 'The Scottish Civil Justice Council has approved its work programme for 2025/26, which has now been published. "As part of this , a priority for the coming year is to hold a public consultation on the extension of Protective Expenses Orders to the Sheriff Court. These orders allow litigants to limit the legal costs they might incur in the event they lose the case. The consultation is currently being finalised and we expect it to begin in the near future.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'The Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee is looking into a complaint, which says that the Scottish Civil Justice Council failed to ask the public for their views before changing rules about legal costs in environmental cas'The committee has decided the complaint is worth investigating further, but this is just a preliminary decision. They still need to follow more steps before making a final decision on whether to fully investigate. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.'
