Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Cunningham Excerpts

Thursday 8th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jayawardena]

I thought the hon. Gentleman was going to be constructive, but now he is playing politics. Clearly he was not listening when I set out my plan a moment ago. First, the water companies are reporting back in two weeks, and secondly we have legislated to issue unlimited fines through a criminal process, and we will not hesitate to do more.

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

5. What steps he is taking to ensure that rivers, inland waterways and the sea can sustain fish stocks and other marine life.

[The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mark Spencer)]

The UK’s rivers and seas boast some of the greatest biodiversity and marine life anywhere in the world. The Government have prioritised protecting species, not least by leaving the common fisheries policy that did so much to damage fish stocks. We have also announced plans to reduce the sewage being discharged in our seas and rivers, and we have recently taken action to protect our precious chalk streams against drought.

[Alex Cunningham]

I hope that the Minister is aware of the ecological disaster off the coast of Teesside and North Yorkshire that has had a devastating effect on the fishing industry. Catches are now less than 10% of what they were, and it appears that a large part of our sea is dead or dying. When will Ministers recognise that they cannot rely on the conclusion that an algal bloom was probably the cause of this disaster, order a more comprehensive study into what is happening and come up with solutions to save our sea?