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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they gave to providing financial help to householders when introducing the 2015 rules following their consultation on Reform of the Regulatory System to Control Small Sewage Discharges from Septic Tanks and Small Sewage Treatment Plants in England where the discharge facilities were situated within a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment was carried out at the time that the 2015 rules were introduced. While no financial help is available for upgrading or replacing small sewage discharges regulated under General Binding Rules, the Environment Agency will agree a reasonable timescale with the owner where it identifies that improvements are required.

With specific regard to any discharge facilities situated within a Site of Special Scientific Interest, additional regulatory requirements only arise as a direct consequence of that if the discharge in question was first made on or after 1 January 2015.