21st July 2026
Freddie van Mierlo, MP for Henley and Thame, has called for privately owned water companies in England and Wales to be bound to the same code of practice as publicly owned companies in Scotland and NI.
Under the government's Public Office (Accountability) Bill that is currently making its way through Parliament, public bodies, including Scottish and NI Water companies must follow an ethical code of conduct.
The code of conduct demands acting in line with values of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
Further, it states that public bodies must set internal standards expected of workers and make all aware of consequences for failing to act in accordance with them. There must also be a clear way for those outside of the authority to complain about their conduct.
Water companies in England and Wales would not be placed under the same requirements public bodies. Even when much of their role requires them to perform a similar function.
Like publicly owned water companies, they exercise public functions of fundamental importance to health, the environment, and daily life and hold exclusive regional monopolies, meaning consumers have no choice alternative provider. They benefit from statutory powers and privileges normally associated with public authorities.
But under the government Bill, would not be subject to a code of conduct.
Freddie van Mierlo MP’s amendment would require water companies in England and Wales to be held to the same code of conduct. The amendment has been signed by over 30 cross party MPs.
The amendment comes with recent news that Thames Water was back in profit.
From March 2025-26 Thames Water have reported a net income of £113m moving from the previous year net loss of £1.51bn. Despite the increase in profit, debt has risen from £16.79bn to 18.51bn.
Concerns have been raised that consumers have been left to shoulder to burden of this profit. In some cases, consumer bills have been increased by more than 40%. Customer complaints have also risen by 77% and Thames Water are failing to meet their target for handling complaints.
As Andy Burnham steps into his new role as PM, Liberal Democrats are calling him to overhaul the water industry by handing water infrastructure back to the public via a customer-owned mutual model.
Freddie van Mierlo MP commented that:
“Water companies for far too long have acted in a dastardly way – polluting our rivers, lakes and seas, up and down our beautiful isles. They have acted to enrich only themselves and their shareholders, leaving crippled infrastructure and environmental disaster in their wake. If they have a code of conduct, it is not one that any of us would recognise as being fair, honest, or responsible.
“Yet under the Bill, privately owned water companies do not have to follow the same code of conduct as publicly owned water companies in Scotland or Northern Ireland. They are supposed to perform the same public functions, with the same public impact, but without the discipline of market competition.
“For companies in England like Thames Water, requiring them to adopt such a code of conduct by law is one clear and immediate way the government can reduce the problems we currently face with the company.
“By holding them to the same standard we can ensure consistent ethical standards across all providers of essential public services.
“If the government are serious about holding water companies to account, they must close loopholes which allow them again to escape judgement for wrong actions.”
