Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

River Pollution

Thursday 19 June 2025 · 2 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Catherine Fookes thanked the Government for the 100 million support for the River Wye action plan.
  • Ellie Chowns expressed disappointment that agricultural pollution was not mentioned in responses to previous questions.
  • The Secretary of State acknowledged the work in the Wye catchment area to address water pollution issues.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Catherine Fookes Lab Monmouthshire
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

The MP notes the existing action plan for the River Wye and concerns over Thames Water seeking regulatory easements. The situation involves high levels of sewage pollution inherited from previous government.

Question

I remain extremely grateful for the £100 million of support the Government have given to the River Wye action plan—a pioneering joint effort between the UK and Welsh Governments--but we must do more, including using sustainable farming initiatives to support farmers to look at their stocking rates. I am concerned by reports of Thames Water seeking regulatory easements. Can the Secretary of State assure me that this Government will continue to crack down on water pollution from all sources, in the Wye, the Thames and all across the UK?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Steve Reed)

I thank my hon. Friend for her question, and I understand her concerns. I reassure her that the Government will always act in the national interest on these issues. Thames Water must meet its statutory and regulatory obligations to its customers and to the environment—it is only right that the company is subject to the same consequences as any other water company. The company remains financially stable, but we have stepped up our preparations and stand ready for all eventualities, as I have said before, including a special administration regime, if that were to become necessary.

Answered
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Q2 Ellie Chowns Green North Herefordshire
Environment
Context

The MP addresses concerns over agricultural pollution in the Lugg and Wye catchments. She highlights that agriculture is a main source of water pollution, referencing the Independent Water Commission report.

Question

As the Secretary of State knows, my constituency of North Herefordshire is very seriously affected by water pollution in the Lugg and the Wye. I confess that I am disappointed that, in both his answers to the hon. Member for Monmouthshire (Catherine Fookes), he did not mention agricultural pollution at all. That is despite the fact that agriculture is the main source of water pollution in the country, as is shown in the report of the Independent Water Commission, which unfortunately was not allowed to look into it in any detail. I pay tribute to River Action, which this week won a court case forcing planning authorities to consider the cumulative impact of industrial agricultural development, and to Greenpeace, which last week pointed out the impact of toxic sewage sludge. Will he confirm whether he is updating the farming rules for water?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Steve Reed)

The hon. Member will be aware that we are supporting work in the Wye catchment area to deal with those problems, but she is quite right in what she says. The environmental land management schemes support farmers to reduce agricultural run-off. We are making the announcement that she just mentioned today, and we are also supporting the ELM schemes, which help farmers to improve their soil quality so that the soil holds more water, and to use less fertiliser and pesticides, which reduces the amount of run-off. Therefore, we are taking action on agricultural pollution, and the announcement that she asked for is being made today.

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