"My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I thank her for raising that important issue and for her work on it and her passion. She is right to point out as well that the Environment Agency budget was cut by half under the previous Government, which left it powerless to clamp …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech
"The hon. Gentleman is quite right: of course we want a regulator with teeth, able to identify the exact source of pollution. As we have already said about our water White Paper, there will be a regional element it order to be able to in more detail at those particular …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech
"The hon. Lady has raised this important point with me, and she will know my commitment to the River Wye following my visit. One recommendation is to explore the feasibility of a water protection zone. This would be a complex undertaking, and the Environment Agency is currently considering it. In …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech
Of course, in team DEFRA, we are dreaming of a dry Christmas, but just in case we do not get one, we are investing a record £10.5 billion into our flood and coastal defences, and the Environment Agency has reprioritised £108 …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech
"The hon. Lady raises an important point. Part of the purpose of that mapping is to inform people and the wider community. For the very first time, the mapping under the new national flood risk assessment—NaFRA 2—includes the risk from surface water flooding, which was never included in previous maps; …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech
"We will restore our waterways to places communities can be proud of, where nature flourishes. Our environmental improvement plan outlines actions to reduce the volume of rainwater and pollutants entering the sewerage system, and we are rebuilding the water network through a record £104 billion investment. That includes over £10 …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech
"My hon. Friend raises a really important point. I was delighted to meet a number of water abstraction groups— who might not be the WAGs most people think of—to talk about some of the work they are doing as farmers to make farms more resilient. It is a hugely important …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech
"My hon. Friend raises a hugely important point. It was outrageous that those residents had to wait such a long time for water. We are putting customers first by more than doubling the compensation that they receive for water company failings, such as supply interruptions, low pressure, sewer flooding and …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech
"I am pleased to confirm that the marine recovery fund, one of the major reforms in the clean power action plan, has launched today.
This underlines the Government’s clear commitment to making Britain a clean energy superpower to cut bills, create jobs and deliver energy security. We are delivering cheaper, …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech
"At the moment, the chief executive needs to focus on getting the boil water notice removed and getting drinking water back into everybody’s house. Of course, the Drinking Water Inspectorate will be doing a full investigation into exactly what has caused the problem and why it has taken so long …..." Emma Hardy - View Speech