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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to prevent illegal sewage dumping in chalk stream rivers.

Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to addressing the multiple pressures facing chalk streams. Restoring these waterbodies to better ecological health is a core ambition of this Government’s overall programme of work to clean up rivers, lakes, and seas for good. Subject to consultation, we will abolish Ofwat and create a new, powerful, and integrated regulator, including a regional element to ensure greater local involvement in water planning and allow all sources of pollution to be addressed across the river catchment.

Our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan already categorises chalk streams as high priority sites, ensuring that they are prioritised for improvement as part of the record £11 billion investment to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows in England and Wales. Additionally, our protections through the Water (Special Measures) Act will hold polluters accountable and ensure these iconic British habitats are preserved for future generations.