Water (Special Measures) Act 2025: stages, votes and documents
The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 24 February 2025, 173 days after its first reading in the House of Lords on 4 September 2024. MPs divided on it 4 times between 28 January 2025 and 11 February 2025; the narrowest margin was 141 (New Clause 16).
Stages taken place
17
Commons divisions
4
Documents listed
17
Royal Assent
24 February 2025
What the bill is for
The long title reads:
A Bill to make provision about the regulation, governance and special administration of water companies.
Sponsors
- Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour, Lords), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Steve Reed (Labour, Commons), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Stages
| Stage | House | Sittings |
|---|---|---|
| 1st reading | Lords | 4 September 2024 |
| 2nd reading | Lords | 9 October 2024 |
| Committee stage | Lords | 28 October 2024, 30 October 2024, 4 November 2024 |
| Report stage | Lords | 20 November 2024 |
| 3rd reading | Lords | 26 November 2024 |
| 1st reading | Commons | 27 November 2024 |
| 2nd reading | Commons | 16 December 2024 |
| Programme motion | Commons | 16 December 2024 |
| Ways and Means resolution | Commons | 16 December 2024 |
| Committee stage | Commons | 9 January 2025, 14 January 2025, 16 January 2025 |
| Report stage | Commons | 28 January 2025 |
| 3rd reading | Commons | 28 January 2025 |
| Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons | Lords | 5 February 2025 |
| Programme motion | Commons | 11 February 2025 |
| Consideration of Lords message | Commons | 11 February 2025 |
| Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons | Lords | 11 February 2025 |
| Royal Assent | Unassigned | 24 February 2025 |
Commons divisions on this bill
| Date | Division | Ayes | Noes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 January 2025 | Water (Special Measures) Bill Report Stage: New Clause 16 | 181 | 322 |
| 28 January 2025 | Water (Special Measures) Bill Report Stage: New Clause 19 | 180 | 325 |
| 28 January 2025 | Water (Special Measures) Bill Report Stage: Amendment 9 | 73 | 321 |
| 11 February 2025 | Water (Special Measures) Bill - Government motion to insist on Commons Amendment 2 and to propose Amendment (a) in lieu | 331 | 65 |
Documents
Act of Parliament
- Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 (c. 5) 24 February 2025
Bill
- 5901017.pdf · 5901017.xml · 5901017.html 4 September 2024
- 5901045.pdf · 5901045.xml · 5901045.html 4 November 2024
- 5901051.pdf · 5901051.html · 5901051.xml 21 November 2024
- Bill 141 2024-25 (as brought from the Lords) 27 November 2024
- Bill 162 2024-25 (as amended in Public Bill Committee) 16 January 2025
- 5901066.pdf 29 January 2025
- Bill 181 2024-25 (Lords Amendments to the Bill) 6 February 2025
- 5901070.pdf 11 February 2025
Explanatory Notes
- HL Bill 17 Explanatory Notes · 5901017en.pdf 4 September 2024
- Bill 141 EN 2024-25 27 November 2024
- HL Bill 66 Explanatory Notes · 5901066en.pdf 29 January 2025
Impact Assessments
- Impact-Assessment-Water(Special-Measures).pdf 25 October 2024
Delegated Powers Memorandum
- Water(SpecialMeasures)BillDPM.pdf 5 September 2024
- Supplementary Memorandum from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee 22 January 2025
Briefing papers
- Water (Special Measures) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 17 3 October 2024
- Water (Special Measures) Bill 2024-25 22 January 2025
Official record
Sources
| Record | Read | SHA-256 |
|---|---|---|
| Bills API: bill | 28 October 2026 | af516a3c3e3a6449… |
| Bills API: stages | 28 October 2026 | d3ea2ffb3d81d74c… |
| Bills API: publications | 15 October 2026 | 950c0246f9996dee… |