(Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs): In
conjunction with the Secretary of State for Wales I will today
lay before the House a water protocol for England and Wales,
agreed between the UK government and the Welsh Government. The
protocol, which the Welsh Ministers are laying in the National
Assembly for Wales in parallel, is made under section 50 of the
Wales Act 2017.
The protocol reaffirms the close working between the two
governments on matters relating to water resources, water supply
and water quality. It underlines our commitment that no action or
inaction by either administration should have any serious adverse
impact on either England or Wales and crucially, that the
interests of water consumers on both sides of our borders are
safeguarded.
Agreement of the protocol paves the way for the Secretary of
State’s powers of intervention in relation to water to be
repealed. These powers, in the Government of Wales Act 2006,
enable the Secretary of State to intervene if they believe an
Assembly Bill, or the exercise of a devolved function, risks
having a serious adverse impact on water resources, water supply
or water quality in England.
The protocol replaces these intervention powers with a reciprocal
agreement. The intervention powers will be repealed when the new
reserved powers model of Welsh devolution come into effect on 1
April 2018.
