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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce sewage discharges by Wessex Water and South West water in West Dorset constituency.

In the first week of the new Government, the Secretary of State met with water company bosses, including Wessex Water and South West Water, to make it clear that water firms will be held accountable for their performance for customers and the environment. During the meeting, water bosses signed up to the Government’s initial package of reforms to reduce sewage pollution and attract investment to upgrade infrastructure.

This Government has also introduced legislation that will allow us to put water companies under special measures, bring criminal charges against persistent law-breaking water executives, and ban the payment of bonuses to executives of water companies who pollute our waterways. This bill will deliver the most significant increase in enforcement powers in a decade.

I would also refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by the Secretary of State on 18 July, HCWS3.