Droughts: Water Companies
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department provides water companies on the minimum period that should be allowed for public responses to statutory Drought Plan consultations and corresponding calls for evidence.
Answered by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Water companies are required to prepare and consult on statutory drought plans in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991, the Drought Plan (England) Direction, and Environment Agency drought planning guidance.
Both legislation and guidance do not prescribe a minimum period for public consultation responses. Instead, water companies must carry out a public consultation and publish a statement of response within the timescales set out in the Drought Plan (England) Direction. For the current planning round, companies have 22 weeks to complete consultation activities, prepare their statement of response and publish a revised draft drought plan. The guidance recommends that companies divide this period broadly equally between the public consultation itself and preparation of their statement of response.
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