Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Coastal Communities

Thursday 10 March 2022 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Coastal communities are supported by the UK shared prosperity fund, the coastal communities fund, and the 100 million UK seafood fund.
  • An inshore survey programme of the outer Thames and the south coast is underway to get data on fishing stocks to help fishermen.
  • Funding has been confirmed for East Sussex County Council's Blue Heart project to help reach "excellent" bathing water status.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Caroline Ansell Con
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Caroline Ansell raised concerns about steps being taken to support coastal communities in her constituency, highlighting the importance of investment and protection against erosion.

Question

What steps he is taking to support coastal communities. The government has committed significant funding towards coastal defence schemes, but I am concerned about how this money will be distributed and what specific measures are being implemented to protect coastal towns like Eastbourne from flooding and erosion.

Answer from Rebecca Pow

Coastal communities are key to our levelling-up agenda, supported by the UK shared prosperity fund, the coastal communities fund and the £100 million UK seafood fund. Up to 2027 we are investing a record £5.2 billion in coastal erosion risk management. That will be invested in about 2,000 schemes and approximately 17% of it is expected to better protect against coastal and tidal flooding. It includes a £140 million coastal project on defences at the Eastbourne and Pevensey coast.

Answered
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Q2 Anna Firth
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

Southend West is known for its coastline and local fishing industry. Anna Firth inquired about measures to monitor and improve water quality, focusing on issues such as heavy metal reduction, sewage management, and pollution.

Question

I welcome my hon. Friend's comments. In Southend, we are blessed with a wonderful coastline, and I am sure she agrees that the best support coastal communities can have is a healthy marine environment allowing our fish and marine life to flourish, thus supporting Southend West's fishing industry. What is being done to monitor and improve the water quality around the English coast, particularly regarding the reduction of heavy metals, sewage and other pollution, especially around the north Thames coast adjacent to Southend West.

Answer from Rebecca Pow

How wonderful that she has chosen DEFRA orals to ask her first question. In terms of fishing, an inshore survey programme of the outer Thames and the south coast is under way so that we can get data on the fishing stocks to better inform and help our fishermen. A recent survey showed that, remarkably, the Thames estuary, having been declared virtually dead not very long ago, has made a fantastic ecological recovery to the point that we can now see seahorses, eels and seals there.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Reduction of heavy metals, sewage management, and specific pollution reduction measures were not directly addressed.

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Q3 Caroline Ansell Con
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

Caroline Ansell expressed concerns about sewage and waste water treatment affecting the sea quality, which is a significant visitor asset for Eastbourne. She met with local swimmers who are concerned about these issues.

Question

This is my perfect moment. I thank my hon. Friend for her answer on the excellent work that is being done on water quality—that is clearly of massive significance to me—and on the coastal defence scheme; Eastbourne is set to potentially receive £100 million to protect the town for 100 years. But my question is about sewage and waste treatment. The sea, and all it affords, is our greatest visitor asset in Eastbourne and highly valued by local people. What reassurance can my hon. Friend give them about the new powers in the Environment Act 2021 that will address this, but equally about Government-sponsored local action that will improve storm overflows and surface water, and help to take us from “good” to “excellent” status for our bathing water?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

I am delighted that we recently confirmed funding for East Sussex County Council's Blue Heart project, which she was very proactive about, to help to reach “excellent” bathing water status. That very much focuses on what to do about the surface water and how to separate it from the sewage.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific reassurances regarding new powers in the Environment Act 2021 were not provided, focusing instead on confirming funding for a specific project.

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Q4 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Northern Ireland Environment
Context

In previous times, central Government provided financial support to the Northern Ireland Assembly for addressing issues related to coastal erosion. Jim Shannon inquired about a potential UK-wide survey of coastal erosion to inform a unified approach.

Question

In the past, central Government have helped the Northern Ireland Assembly to address some of those issues, through finance but also through physical help. Has consideration been given to undertaking a UK-wide survey of coastal erosion with a view to taking a UK-wide approach and reinforcing coastal roads and homes on those roads that are unable to withstand these storms, which appear to happen more regularly than ever?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

We take coastal erosion extremely seriously, which is why 17% of our flood protection budget is going to be devoted to coastal areas and coastal erosion. We work very closely in advising and liaising with the devolveds, which we are always happy to do. We are updating our shoreline management plans, which will help inform us, and we are happy to share information with our colleagues in the devolveds.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Conducted a UK-wide survey was not explicitly addressed; focused on existing efforts and sharing of information between departments.

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