Government criticised for partial U-turn on sewage amendment

The Liberal Democrats have said Conservative MPs ‘owe their constituents an apology’ after proposing a new sewage amendment to the Environment Bill yesterday.

Responding to the government offering a new amendment on the Environment Bill, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Rural Affairs, Tim Farron MP, said:

“Conservative MPs owe their constituents an apology tonight. The arrogance and tunnel vision shown by Conservative MPs in recent days has been appalling.

“Instead of listening to concerned residents, experts and environmental groups, we have witnessed Conservative MPs arrogantly plough on with supporting a law they knew would do nothing to protect our treasured rivers.

“This government has a track record of breaking promises and failing to deliver. Our local environments need urgent action and legislation with real teeth to prevent water companies committing any more crimes. This is far from over.”

The new motion proposes imposing a duty on water companies to reduce sewage discharges as a result of storm overflows, and will legally required firm to evidence a reduction in overspills over the coming five years.

Over the past few days, a number of Conservative MPs have alleged the proliferation of ‘misinformation’ surrounding the discussion of last week’s vote on another sewage-related amendment to the Environment Bill.

22 Conservatives rebelled against the whip and voted for the amendment to the Bill that would have legally compelled water companies to reduce their discharge of raw sewage into rivers and seas.

The bill, intended to revamp the UK’s environmental regulations post Brexit, currently allows raw sewage to be discharged into the country’s waterways.

Data from the Environment Agency shows that raw sewage was dumped into British waters over than 400,000 times in 2020.
Thousands of Twitter users have taken to the site over the past few days to tweet images of MPs who followed the government’s whip, and voted down the amendment.

Nursing minister Maria Caulfield quoted a thread posted by fellow Conservative MP Ben Everitt outlining the Bill’s plans regarding sewage overflows, saying: “This is the truth about how we voted on the environment bill. None of us voted to discharge sewage into the sea and those of who have spread lies and misinformation should hang their heads in shame. Don’t ask why MPs get death threats if you have been part of this today #toxic.”

Everitt’s post explained that: “Our Environment Bill will… Ensure the Govt produces a statutory plan to reduce discharges from sewage overflows and the harm this causes by Sept 2022… Include a new duty on water companies to publish near real time info on an overflow, its location & when it ceases”.