The Government should come clean on whether their tough stance on the water industry is just talk, an MP has said.
Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP, Alison Griffiths, has challenged the Government to publish their Justice Impact Test for the new Water Bill. It should reveal how many prosecutions the Government expects, and how many extra prison places will be needed.
Water bosses need to be held to account, and transparency is needed. Alison is challenging the Government on whether the new Water (Special Measures) Bill will make any meaningful addition to the powers already in place.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Alison asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: “The Secretary of State is certainly talking tough, but will he publish the Justice Impact Test for his Water Bill, and listing the additional court cases and prison places needed?” The Secretary of State replied only that it would be published “at the appropriate time”.
There are already robust powers available to Ofwat and the Environment Agency, put in place by the previous Conservative Government. In the last Parliament, Southern Water were fined a record £90 million by the Environment Agency for illegal dumping of raw sewage, including in West Sussex. The Government has not explained what difference the new powers will make.
Commenting afterwards, Alison said: “Residents rightly expect tough action against water companies. We’ve seen sewage and flooding incidents across the constituency including in our towns and villages, particularly in Aldwick, Bognor Regis, Felpham, Middleton, Yapton and Ford. We all want to see an end to this.
"The Government made a commitment to transparency and to ensuring the past practices of the water companies cannot happen again. I hope that the Government lives up to these commitments. Unfortunately, it has failed to publish key information. To date, I see little evidence that the Government’s actions will make any tangible difference in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton. I will continue to put pressure on this government, the regulators, and the water companies for meaningful change."
Alison campaigned to put an end to flooding and storm overflows. She will continue to make the case for tough action for water companies who step outside the law and who fail to fulfil their commitments to residents and to the environment.”
