Nutrient Neutrality: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill

Alex Cunningham Excerpts
Tuesday 5th September 2023

(1 year, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Rachel Maclean Portrait Rachel Maclean
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The simple answer to my hon. Friend’s question is that he is right. The existing legal framework that has been hindering us has had a disproportionate effect on planning permissions and house building when the main source of the pollution lies elsewhere. Overall, this package will be able to deliver house building and extensions in my hon. Friend’s constituency, help the smaller builders and, of course, protect our rivers.

Alex Cunningham Portrait Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)
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In an industrial area such as Teesside, environmental standards are critical, including around water quality and our riverside. Will the new policy framework lead to increased funds for the Canal & River Trust, which has seen its budgets decimated in recent years, leading to huge cuts in its activities and the removal of every single litter bin on its land around the River Tees?

Rachel Maclean Portrait Rachel Maclean
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I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising the concerns of the Canal & River Trust. I am sure that his comments will have been heard by DEFRA Ministers, but I will be happy to take those concerns back to them and ask them to provide an answer.