Alex Cunningham MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Natural Environment, commenting on the Public Accounts Committee report into the role of the Water Regulator, OFWAT which showed that water companies had a net windfall of £800 million extra over the last five years, said:

“The Public Accounts Committee have confirmed the work done by the National Audit Office which helped reveal the £800 million windfall for the water companies over the last five years and is right to question why customers didn’t share in it.

“At a time when several million households are struggling to pay their bills, the water companies have grown their profits thanks to lower tax and interest rates yet there was no mechanism in place for these benefits to be shared.

“I am sure that just as OFWAT needs to learn from the initial NAO report they also need to learn from the conclusions.

“Whilst the water companies have doubtless improved services such as water quality and taken on additional responsibilities, there is huge variation around the country in the services provided to vulnerable customers.  All water companies need to do better on this front, and some considerably so.”