House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Government Response to the Office for Environmental Protection Report on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive Regulations and River Basin Management Planning in England
11 September 2024 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Proposed by Emma Hardy Lab Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- Government responds to the Office for Environmental Protection report on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive Regulations and River Basin Management Planning in England
- The Government is committed to improving water quality through a review of the current framework
- Specific plans to address water quality issues will be outlined over the coming months
Issue summary
This statement addresses the UK government's response to the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) report regarding the implementation of the Water Framework Directive Regulations and River Basin Management Planning in England.
Action requested
The Government is committed to taking action to improve water quality, including a review of the current framework to transform how the water system works. Specific plans will be outlined over the coming months.
Key facts
- The OEP's report highlights insufficient progress towards improving water bodies' ecological status.
- Previous governments have underinvested in water infrastructure and action has been inadequate.
- The government aims to clean up rivers, lakes, and seas to meet the WFD objective of restoring at least 75% of water bodies.