Angela Richardson, Conservative MP for Guildford blocks new sewage bill in Parliament
- Conservative MPs block stringent new rules to tackle water companies' sewage discharges in our rivers, lakes and beaches
- Liberal Democrats' anger at "scandalous" decision by the Government to block the bill
A new law which would have clamped down on water firms discharging sewage into our rivers, lakes and coastlines has been blocked by the Government.
Conservative MPs, including Guildford's MP Angela Richardson, voted to block the bill which would have introduced legally binding targets and automatic fines on water companies breaking sewage dumping permits.
Liberal Democrat MPs all supported the Sewage Discharge Bill, along with other Opposition MPs.
The Sewage Discharge Bill would have:
- Imposed automatic fines on water companies for sewage discharges
- Introduced legal requirements for monitoring sewage and fining broken sewage monitors
- Implemented legally binding targets on reducing sewage discharges
- Required the Government to publish a strategy for the reduction of sewage discharges
According to Environment Agency data, raw sewage was pumped into rivers and seas for 1.75 million hours last year, an average 825 times per day.
Liberal Democrat analysis found 2,300 sewage monitors, that's one in six, were found to be faulty during the same period.
Zöe Franklin, Liberal Democrat candidate for Guildford said:
"This is a scandal. We deserve better. Ms Richardson's constituents have been badly let down. Again they have seen their MP put the interests of private water companies ahead of protecting our waterways and wildlife habitats, which are so valuable and so vulnerable.
"I will continue to listen to people's concerns and I will continue my campaign to save our waterways from these appalling sewage discharges.
"Environment Agency data shows Thames Water, the company serving Guildford, discharged sewage into our waterways more than 8,000 times last year, for a total of nearly 75,000 hours. We have had enough of the Government talking tough, but stalling on tackling this horrendous practice.
The Liberal Democrats are demanding an end to sewage discharges into wildlife habits and swimming areas, including beaches and bathing water status lakes. The party is also demanding a ban on all water company senior executive bonuses until the discharges stop.
Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:
"It is scandalous that Conservative MPs have blocked the Sewage Discharge Bill.
"This is a new low for Conservative MPs who simply don't care about the sewage crisis. They would rather these water firms raking in millions in profits whilst we all swim in sewage.
"The British public will rightly be furious with the Conservative Government. Next week will be judgement day for Conservative politicians at the ballot box when voters will have their say on the sewage crisis."
Further Information
How each MP voted on the Sewage Discharge Bill
https://votes.parliament.uk/Votes/Commons/Division/1525#ayes
Environment Agency sewage discharge data:
Link to Liberal Democrat analysis of Environment Agency sewage discharge data - 2021 and 2022 - Faulty sewage monitors
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15PYYwz4-IPjYJPh3d9dPE5TmO9kg1R6y6ZqZ4bJYvjg/edit#gid=0
Original source is based on 2022 and 2021 data provided by the water companies to the Environment Agency. This reveals the length of sewage discharges, as well as the number of "Event Duration Monitors" which were found to be faulty.