Steve Reed. Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has established a Water Delivery Taskforce to bring Government, regulators and water industry representatives together.
In a wide-ranging speech delivered at the UK Water Reception at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre yesterday, Steve Reed said:
“We need to get spades in the ground in every region.
“I’ve set up a Water Delivery Taskforce to bring together Government, regulators, and water industry representatives, to ensure water companies complete their planned investments on time and on budget - providing value for money for customers.
“The Taskforce will make sure we have the water, wastewater and drainage needed for the new developments and infrastructure that will drive long-term economic growth.
“Energy and Utility Skills estimate 43,000 people will be needed to take up jobs in the water industry over the next five years.
“That’s good, skilled, well paid jobs such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers, and surveyors.
“It’s imperative we have the skilled workforce in place. Because without it, all this investment will not be possible.”
He emphasised the importance of water for economic growth, saying this is a moment for Government and industry to join together to unlock the potential of the water sector and grow the economy in every region of this country.
According to the Minister, at the time of the last general election the public were not aware the country was facing water rationing within ten years.
He told his audience that Sir Jon Cunliffe, the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, would soon complete the biggest review of the water sector in a generation to ensure the country had a robust regulatory framework to clean up our waterways, build the infrastructure we need for a reliable water supply, and restore public confidence in this vital economic sector.
Describing the water sector as a priority for economic growth, he said the £104 billion AMP8 investment programme - the second biggest investment in any part of the economy over the lifetime of this parliament – would create 30 thousand good, well-paid jobs in every corner of the country.
The investment would also ensure 1.5 million homes could be built, together with the construction of major infrastructure projects to support the green energy transition and enable new industries to be powered such as data centres that could unlock the UK’s AI potential.
Yesterday he also signed a ‘Water Skills Pledge’ with Alison McGovern, the Minister for Employment - affirming the Government’s commitment to ensuring the water sector has the skills and workforce it needs to succeed.
He concluded:
“We will work together to show people that a career in the water industry and its supply chain is something they can be proud of for a lifetime…..
Something that gives you new skills, exciting challenges and can set you up for life – wherever in this country you live.
“This is a fresh start, a moment to build new partnerships and set the direction for the water sector of the future.
“We are working together to bring about the change that people in this country voted for last year. It’s an exciting time for the water industry, and I’m proud to stand alongside you as we chart the journey forwards to success.”
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