Rivers: Standards

(asked on 18th August 2021) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the investigative documentary entitled Rivercide, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of the evidence presented in that documentary on the state of rivers and the enforcement of river standards; and what steps the Government is taking to (a) protect and (b) improve rivers.


Answered by
Rebecca Pow Portrait
Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This question was answered on 10th September 2021

Defra, the Welsh Government, the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural Resources Wales are working together to deal with pollution in the stretch of the river Wye which was the subject of this programme. There is significant pollution in this area from chicken farming in the upper catchments.

We are working with farmers across a range of schemes designed to incentivise improvements in agricultural practices that tackle water pollution. Catchment Sensitive Farming and Countryside Stewardship Schemes seek to improve information sharing and incentivise farmers to manage their land and farm in way that protects the water environment. The Farming Rules for Water standardises good farm practices and encourages reasonable precautions to prevent diffuse pollution, including the managed use of fertilisers. We are also providing additional funding to the EA to increase their farm inspection regime nationwide over the next 18 months. In 2021/22 this includes an expectation of a fourfold increase in farm inspections undertaken nationally with plans to scale up further in 2022/23.

In addition, the storm overflows task force, comprising the Government and water companies, will help address the problem of sewage discharge from storm overflows and our new chemicals strategy will build on an already robust statutory regime to ensure chemicals are managed and handled safely.

Through our 25 Year Environment Plan, this government set out its commitment to clean and plentiful water, which has also been supported by the landmark Environment Bill, and we know there is more to do to meet this commitment.

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