Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Bathing Waters: England

Thursday 23 February 2023 · 3 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The list of designated bathing waters in England is updated annually, with updates given in May.
  • The Minister invited Luke Pollard to swim at Devil's Point and Firestone Bay but noted the need to wait until May for designation decisions.
  • Christopher Chope inquired about the limited number of designated bathing water sites, to which it was explained that designation requires demonstrating sufficient public interest and provision of facilities.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Luke Pollard Labour (Co-op) Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Environment
Context

The hon. Member seeks to highlight the importance of designating specific areas for safe wild swimming.

Question

When will the list of designated bathing waters in England be updated next?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

The list of designated bathing waters is updated annually, and we will give updates for the new list in May.

Answered
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Q2 Luke Pollard Labour (Co-op) Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Environment
Context

The hon. Member inquires about the status of Devil's Point and Firestone Bay, a national marine park, to be declared as a designated bathing water.

Question

May I ask the Minister to join me for a swim at Devil's Point and Firestone Bay, where she can see the raw sewage pipe and understand why this special piece of water should be declared as a designated bathing water?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

I wear a wetsuit when I swim in the sea. The hon. Gentleman will have to wait until May to see if we designate that particular site, but there are 421 designated bathing sites in England as of last year, with 93% classed as 'excellent' and 'good'.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to visiting Devil's Point and Firestone Bay or confirming its designation.

How: Waiting Until May, Refusing Direct Visit

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Q3 Christopher Chope Con Christchurch
Environment
Context

The hon. Member questions the necessity and fairness of designating specific sites for swimming when people can swim anywhere.

Question

Why are there only 421 designated bathing water sites? Is this designation scheme a form of rationing?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

People can swim wherever they want, but there is a process for designating specific bathing waters which requires demonstrating sufficient interest in using the site and provision of facilities such as car parking and public amenities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address whether the designation scheme is rationing or if they plan to change it.

How: Refusal To Discuss Rationing, Emphasizing Flexibility

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