Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rupa Huq and Steve Double

Thursday 8th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) (Lab)]

T3. It is not just beaches. In 2021, Ealing and Acton saw 34 raw sewage dumps—216 hours’ worth—including in the dear old River Brent. Did taking back control mean returning to being the dirty man of Europe? Is it any wonder that “Brexit opportunities” has vanished from the new ministerial responsibilities?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Steve Double)]

Listening to those on the Labour Benches, one would think that between 1997 and 2010 there was no sewage discharge from our system. The fact is that there was, but it is only because of the measures that this Government have taken to put monitoring in place that we are aware of the problem, and we are now the first Government ever to take action to solve this problem.