of Ullock
(Lab): Surfers Against Sewage has an annual
water quality report which found that water companies have
actually increased the amount of raw sewage dumped into our
rivers and seas—an 87% increase from last year. The Government
have now said that they have the tools to act and hold water
companies to account. I am pleased that they now see that sewage
discharges are completely unacceptable. The Question asked by the
noble Baroness, Lady Jones, was, however, about timescales and
urgency. Can the Minister assure your Lordships that when
the Surfers Against
Sewage annual report is published next year it will
show a significant decrease in the amount of sewage flowing into
our waterways?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs () (Con): I am a great
admirer of Surfers Against
Sewage it, along with Members of this House and
others, has strengthened the hands of those in government who
wanted to see that we have proper measures against sewage
outflows. As I said in reply to the noble Baroness, Lady Jones,
we will respond on the timescale as indicated, in the early part
of next year. We are treating this as a matter of urgency, and we
want to hold water companies to account to react quickly to the
new measures we are bringing in...
To read all the exchanges, CLICK HERE
