Environmental Protection and Green Growth

Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts

Wednesday 26th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Hon. Members]

You have only just come into the Chamber!

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. The right hon. Gentleman has only just arrived, but it is up to the Minister to give way if he wishes to do so.

[Nicholas Soames]

I apologise to the House and to the Minister for asking to intervene when I have only just arrived. I hope that the House will forgive me. I have been at a meeting of the 1922 Committee.

I congratulate my hon. Friend on the work that he has been doing. May I ask him to cast a particular eye over the very serious environmental problem of the gross over-extraction of water from rivers in general and in particular from chalk streams, which are waters of international renown and importance in this country? Will he tell us what level of extraction he considers acceptable?

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. Before I call the next speaker, may I say that we are very short on time and I am going to introduce a five-minute limit?