Rivers, Lakes and Seas: Water Quality
Debate between Anna Gelderd and Peter Dowd(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Peter Dowd (in the Chair)
Order. Will people pay respect to the Chair’s decision? When I ask you to sit down, would you please do so? Thank you very much.
Anna Gelderd
Thank you, Mr Dowd, and I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention.
I thank Feargal Sharkey, who visited my constituency last summer, and I thank the Minister for all her work on this important topic. Feargal Sharkey met local residents with me and heard the strength of local feeling on this issue. Our fishing communities suffer from poor water quality, which can cause habitat degradation and put our commercial catches at risk. Research by the Marine Conservation Society and the University of Portsmouth has shown a worrying increase in chemicals such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in seaweed. PFAS, which are known as forever chemicals because of their highly persistent qualities, do not break down in our natural environment. They accumulate in the environment and in our food chain, impacting biodiversity and public health. This is a serious concern, and I look forward to working with the Minister to do more to address it.
Labour’s Water (Special Measures) Bill is a much-needed first step towards improving the accountability and performance of water companies, which is something I welcome and I congratulate the Minister on. It is time to ensure that water bosses can no longer sell us down the river. Customer service, environmental protection and investment in infrastructure must be prioritised over profit in relation to what is fundamentally a public asset.
Peter Dowd (in the Chair)
Order. I ask the hon. Gentleman not to intervene, because we are right up against it. Thank you.
Anna Gelderd
I know my hon. Friend the Member for St Austell and Newquay (Noah Law) is an important champion for Cornwall as well.
South East Cornwall’s beautiful, natural environment is priceless, and I applaud the determination of my local residents to make a difference. We also have the national leadership that is so essential to tackle this crisis. The Government are already taking action to clean up the mess that we inherited, and we know that the Water (Special Measures) Bill is a vital first step to support constituencies such as mine, and local campaigners in them. I look forward to working with the Minister to restore water quality, protect our environment, improve public health and secure livelihoods in South East Cornwall.