• THE leaks we have seen in West Hampstead over the weekend have caused disruption for many of my constituents and raise serious concerns about our infrastructure.

At a time when we are all struggling with the exceptional hot and dry weather and an official drought has been declared across parts of the UK, this is particularly concerning.

I was also aghast to read that water companies are losing billions of litres of water a year through leakage, according to the National Audit Office.

Thames Water, the company responsible for our supply here in Hampstead and Kilburn, have admitted to losing a staggering 24 per cent of the water they supply due to leaks.

They must ensure leaks are dealt with quickly and provide support to residents who have had their water cut off, but this level of waste is unacceptable as London experiences a drought and millions face hosepipe bans.

Water companies must come up with a serious plan to tackle this issue, especially with temperatures expected to rise further, and this is something I will continue to push Thames Water and the government on.

It must not be ordinary people like my constituents that suffer the consequences.

TULIP SIDDIQ MP
Labour
Hampstead & Kilburn