Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Rivers: Discharges

13 January 2021 · 0 other contributors · 3,733 words

Opened by Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett

Responding minister: Not recorded

Environment

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Liz Twist raised concerns about rivers: discharges in Westminster Hall. Response awaited from government.

Key points

  • Liz Twist expressed concern over the frequency of sewage discharges into UK rivers via combined sewer overflows.
  • She cited data indicating 200,000 sewage discharges into UK rivers in 2019 and 387 discharges in Wales between October 2019 and September 2020.
  • Twist called for an end to sewage discharges, increased funding for the Environment Agency, and a commitment to not lower environmental standards post-Brexit.

Key requests to Government

Twist calls for an end to sewage discharges into rivers, requiring all water companies to take real action. She also asks for increased funding to the Environment Agency and a commitment not to lower environmental standards post-Brexit. Additionally, she requests changes in approach to future challenges to meet them effectively.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett

Liz Twist is concerned about the number of sewage discharges into rivers through combined sewer overflows (CSOs), which are permitted but often used excessively. She cited data from Surfers Against Sewage that water companies discharged raw sewage into UK rivers 200,000 times in 2019 and 387 coastal discharges in Wales between October 2019 and September 2020. The World Wildlife Fund's research shows that 8% to 14% of overflows spill sewage weekly, with a third to half spilling monthly. In her constituency, Northumbrian Water recorded 1,383 spills from 109 storm overflows in 2018, the worst being at Hamsterley Mill pumping station's Riverview CSO.

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