Tory MPS criticised for sea pollution ‘no’ vote
THERE has been an attempt in Parliament to stop water companies from discharging raw sewage into rivers and the sea, an issue that has seen warnings put out in Wales about dangerous bathing conditions.
An amendment to the Environment Bill was put forward but was controversially voted against, with 10 Welsh Conservative MPS joining others in opposing the change.
That has not gone down well in many quarters.
A number of beaches in Wales have been affected by contamination from sewer overflow due to storms. Most recently, alerts have been issued regarding unsafe swimming conditions at Langland and Caswell Bays.
The proposed Lords Amendment 45 to the Environment Bill would have placed “a new duty on sewerage undertakers in England and Wales to make improvements to their sewerage systems and demonstrate progressive reductions in the harm caused by discharges of untreated sewage”.
According to campaign group Surfers Against Sewage, 400,000 sewage pollution events occur a year.
“Putting this legal duty on water companies to take steps to reduce their reliance on CSOS (combined sewer overflows) could have made a real difference by forcing water companies to finally tackle their shocking sewage pollution record,” said a statement from the organisation.
“The Government will argue that they have already made significant changes to the Environment Bill to tackle sewage pollution, and that’s partly true. This includes new sewage discharge reporting and monitoring duties and, more importantly, the Government has to make a plan to tackle sewage pollution.
“Whilst this is good, what we really, really needed from this Bill was some clear and tangible action to end sewage pollution – we simply don’t have this yet.”
The following Welsh Conservative MPS voted against the amendment: Simon Baynes (Clwyd South), Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan), Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire), Virginia Crosbie (Ynys Mon), David TC
Davies (Monmouth), James Davies (Vale of Clwyd), David Jones (Clwyd West), Robin Millar (Aberconwy), Jamie Wallis (Bridgend), Craig Williams (Montgomeryshire).
Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, was criticised for his own involvement. Just over two weeks before the vote he featured in a litter pick on Newgale Beach, which has historically failed to meet its highest water quality standards.
Chief executive for Surfers Against Sewage, Hugo Tagholm, added: “Record numbers of people are using our beaches, rivers and lakes for health and well-being – our blue spaces have never been a more important public amenity.
“Yet sewage and agricultural pollution still plague the UK’S rivers and the ocean. Only 14% of rivers in England meet “Good Ecological Status” and, despite investment in the 1990s, the UK is ranked last out of 30 European countries for coastal water quality.
“We urge progressive and ambitious action from government and our elected representatives to end sewage pollution, and restore thriving rivers and coastlines for all.”
MP Alun Cairns, who voted against the proposal, said: “Completely resolving the problem of sewage discharges would require rebuilding the sewage system. Ministers have suggested this could cost between £150 and £600bn and take many years.
“If MPS had voted to immediately ban any discharge of sewage into the river system then any heavy rainfall would have led to sewage flooding back up the pipes into people’s homes. It would have been grossly irresponsible to vote for this.
“In Wales the sewage management and discharge is carried out by Welsh Water, who answer to the Senedd.
“The UK Government has no say on these matters in Wales and it is not clear whether the Welsh Labour Government intend to follow the measures put in place for England. The issue is complicated.”