The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee is warning that the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) IT systems are outdated, inefficient, expensive and at constant risk of failure or cyber-attack. 

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee is warning that the Government is simply not doing enough to protect the UK’s current housing stock from floods or stepping in to prevent new homes being built on flood plains.

A new report published today by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee is warning of a serious risk that some parts of England will run out of water within the next 20 years – and accuses all the bodies responsible for the UK’s water supply – Defra, Ofwat and the Environment Agency –of having “taken their eye off the ball.”

Water UK has warned the Government and water sector regulator Ofwat not to act in ways which might undermine the confidence of investors, following the publication yesterday  of a report by the Public Accounts Accounts Committee which was highly critical of Ofwat.

Ofwat has said it will “carefully consider the thoughts of the PAC”, following publication of the House Of Commons Public Accounts Committee report which said over-estimating by the water regulator had led to the water companies making at least £1.2 billion in windfall gains over the last five years.

A report by the influential House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has strongly criticised Ofwat for consistently over-estimating water companies’ costs which led to £1.2 billion in windfall gains -  saying “these and other concerns..represent significant and pressing challenges for Ofwat.”