Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to address the presence of toxic perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances in the River Wyre.

The Environment Agency (EA) is continuing its extensive programme of PFAS monitoring across England including the River Wyre and in surrounding areas.

In the UK REACH Work Programme for 2021-22, Defra asked the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to examine the risks posed by PFAS and develop a 'Regulatory Management Options Analysis' (RMOA). The RMOA will be published in spring 2023 and will make recommendations for risk management measures, building on the commitment in the 25 Year Environment Plan to tackle chemicals of concern. Defra and the Devolved Administrations will carefully consider its recommendations to inform future PFAS policy.

The EA is working with key partners including Defra, the UK Health Security Agency (former Public Health England), the Food Standards Agency, the Drinking Water Inspectorate and the HSE to inform local plans.