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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) raw sewage and (b) other polluting discharges into (i) rivers and (ii) coastal waters were recorded by (A) the Environment Agency, (B) public and citizen science organisations and (C) South West Water in the area served by South West Water in each of the last five years.

There were 3,466 incidents into a waterbody in the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (DCS) area over the last 5 years, of which 929 were related to untreated sewage:

Of these incidents, the following number of substantiated incidents were attributed to South West Water (SWW):

The EA’s area boundaries do not align exactly with water company catchments. This will mean that a small number of incidents will not be included in this analysis.

The use of “other polluting discharges” the EA have taken to mean all other types of pollution incidents into water.

Finally, the EA have included pollution incidents to all types of waterbodies including coastal waters and rivers.

For Part B and C of this question, we do not hold that information, the respective organisations would be best placed to answer.

I would also refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by the Secretary of State on 18 July: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.