(Oxford West and Abingdon)
(LD): On Wednesday at 5 pm, Thames Water began releasing
sewage into Colwell brook at Witney, and that release is still
ongoing. At 9.15 pm yesterday, Thames Water began releasing
sewage into the Thames at Oxford. The Oxfordshire community says
that enough is enough, which is why I and local campaigners have
been fighting tirelessly to secure bathing water status for the
Thames on Port Meadow. We are delighted to hear that a decision
is expected in April. However, Surfers
Against Sewage are calling on the Government to
designate 200 official river bathing waters by 2030. Will the
Leader of the House make time for a debate on how the Government
can support communities to apply for bathing water status?
The Leader of the House of Commons (): I know that the hon.
Lady has secured debates on this issue in the past and that she
is passionate about it. She is absolutely right to draw the
House’s attention to it. There were strong measures in the
Environment Bill to clamp down on the illegal release of sewage
into our water courses. There are exemptions for water companies
to make releases in extreme weather, but I think some of them,
frankly, are abusing some of those loopholes. The hon. Lady is
right to draw attention to that. That is why the Government are
introducing stronger measures in the Environment Bill and will
continue to hold water companies to account.
