Business of the House

Sarah Dyke Excerpts

Thursday 5th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. I am really sorry to hear of Lily’s death. She will know that mental health and suicide is one of the biggest challenges facing our young people, and that is why this Government are absolutely committed to supporting mental health provision and to getting it on parity of esteem with physical health provision, with all the extra support that is going into our schools. She raises a really good question about private healthcare providers in this space, and she may want to raise it at Health questions after the conference recess.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

Tomorrow marks the start of the big river watch, when people are encouraged to take part in a UK and Ireland-wide survey of their local rivers. River pollution and high phosphate levels in rivers such as the Brue and the Parrett, which flow through my constituency of Glastonbury and Somerton on to the Somerset levels and moors sites of special scientific interest, have stopped much-needed house building. So can I ask the Leader of the House if we can have a debate in Government time on the health of our rivers, nutrient neutrality and the impact of river pollution?

[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. Member for that question. I am absolutely delighted to point her to the fact that, with the Water (Special Measures) Bill in the other place, we are introducing today our first step in cleaning up our rivers. It is a groundbreaking Bill that will include criminal sanctions as well as stopping the bonuses we have seen in many of our water companies. I know that a debate on the general topic that she talks about is one the whole House will want to take part in should she apply for such a debate.