Last week the government published its Environmental Improvement Plan - a five year plan which sets out the approach to first halting, and then reversing, the decline of nature by:
- Tackling pollution in the air, in our waters, and on land
- Creating and restoring at least 500,000 hectares of wildlife habitat
- Making sure everyone lives no more than a 15 min walk from a green space or water
- Incentivising farmers to adopt nature-friendly practices.
Richard Fuller MP said:
Our natural environment is fundamental to the health, economy and prosperity of our country, so we must do all we can to protect it.
That is why we have announced our five-year delivery plan, which will ensure every household is within 15 minute’s walk of a green space, restore at least 500,000 hectares of new wildlife habitats, work with councils to improve air quality, and incentivise farmers to adopt nature-friendly practices. This focus on the environment, as well as food production, is fully embraced by members of the Nature Friendly Farming Network such as Andrew Mahon at Glebe Farm, Podington who I visited last week.
These steps will help to preserve our environment, increase our access to nature, and make Britain a healthier, greener place to live.
Richard who also spoke during the debate on the Environment Improvement Plan 2023 about sewage overflows added:
There has been a great deal of misrepresentation spread on this topic by opponents seeking political gain. The facts are:
1. The current use of sewage overflows by water companies is unacceptable, which is why in August, the Government launched the most ambitious plan to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows in water company history. This plan can be read here.
2. Sewage overflows are caused by outdated Victorian infrastructure, where combined pipes led to rainwater merging with sewage water. When the water system is full during periods of wet weather in particular, sewage overflows operate as a safety valves to stop sewage backing into homes and streets.
3. Stopping overflows tomorrow would lead to sewage backing up into people’s homes and streets. Complete elimination of storm overflows would require either:
a) The separation of all surface water and wastewater pipes, which would cost between £338 billion and £593 billion. There are around 100,000km of combined sewers in England which is enough pipework to go two and a half times around the Earth
OR
b) The construction of additional storage to treat all the water, which would cost between £120 billion and £190 billion. This would require an additional 118.43 million m3 of storage, or 40,000 Olympic sized swimming pools.
4. The Environment Act set tough new targets to tackle water pollution and reduce the harm from sewage overflows for the first time. We voted for this Bill, and not for Labour’s political games which would see water bills expand exponentially and severe disruption across the country. I voted for targets to tackle pollution from wastewater and agriculture, which Labour voted against. There was no vote on sewage overflows, despite Labour’s political games.
5. Government has set an expectation on water companies to significantly reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows through our Strategic Policy Statement to the regulator, Ofwat. Our landmark Environment Act set this expectation in law.
Speaking after the debate, Richard Fuller MP added:
Our plan will require water companies to deliver the largest infrastructure programme in water company history - £56 billion capital investment over 25 years to tackle storm sewage discharges.
This government has increased the number of storm overflows monitored across the network from approximately 5% in 2016, to nearly 90% in 2021. By the end of 2023 we will have 100% coverage.
Under the Environment Act, water companies must make information about storm overflows activity available to the public in near-real time.
Victorian pipework which combined rainwater and sewage created this issue. The Labour government from 1997 to 2010 did nothing to address the problem. Finally, this Conservative government is taking the necessary remedial action to reduce, and eventually eliminate sewage overflows.
Richard's contribution to the debate can be watched here. The Environmental Improvement Plan can be read here. The Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan can be read here.
