The MP for Richmond Park, Sarah Olney, has today demanded Ministers publish their contingency plan in the event of Thames Water collapsing. 

Olney raised the issue with an urgent point of order in the House of Commons, after her previous efforts to get the Government to publish the plans through Parliamentary Questions were refused. 

The efforts come as the Financial Times reported that the company was lobbying the Ministers and the industry regulator, Ofwat, for permission to raise bills, give dividend payouts and receive lower fines in an effort to avoid a Government bailout. 

The Richmond Park MP said: "The prospect of a multimillion pound bailout means this has ceased to be a purely commercial matter, and there is now a significant public interest in the publication of these plans."

She has also tabled a parliamentary motion demanding Environment Ministers publish the plans and a debate is held in the House of Commons to discuss proposals in the event of a collapse occurring, 

Sarah Olney said:  "This Conservative Government's refusal to make their contingency plan in the event of Thames Water's collapse public is nothing short of a cover up. 

"With billions of pounds of taxpayer money at stake, the public has a right to know what Ministers plan to do if this disastrous situation occurs. 

She added: "For too long, water companies have been allowed to get away with pumping raw sewage into our waterways whilst Conservative Ministers have turned a blind eye.

"It is time they cracked down on these polluting giants and put an end to this disgusting practice."