Pollution: Rivers and Beaches Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Duke of Wellington
Main Page: Duke of Wellington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)Department Debates - View all Duke of Wellington's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(1 year, 10 months ago)
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Lord Benyon (Con)
Yes, we have announced that we will be consulting this year with a view to making an announcement about implementation of the Flood and Water Management Act.
The Duke of Wellington (CB)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that it is shameful and indeed embarrassing that a British windsurfer, Sarah Jackson, has had to leave Britain because she cannot train in British waters due to the amount of sewage pollution in so many of our coastal areas? She has had to go to Spain in order to train.
Lord Benyon (Con)
That is highly regrettable. I am not aware of that case but no doubt the noble Duke will make me aware of it. One of our targets is about bathing waters, and the classification figures for 2022 were that 72.1% of them were in excellent condition, 20.8% good, 4.3% insufficient and 2.9% poor. Either there is a discrepancy in the information individuals hold on where they can swim, or a discrepancy in the statistics the Government are receiving from very eminent sources. However, I am happy to discuss this further with the noble Duke.