James Sunderland intervenes in an Opposition Day debate to highlight the progress on monitoring of sewage outflows which has gone from nothing in 2010 to what will be almost 100% next year and the Government’s action to improve water quality including the imposition of £150 million in punitive fines on water companies and the sponsored investment of more than £56 billion, over decades, into the water network.
James Sunderland (Bracknell) (Con)
I listened to what the hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton (Jim McMahon) had to say, but under the last Labour Government the pumping of raw sewage into our waterways was unregulated, unmonitored and completely unrestricted. Since 2010, this Government have increased the monitoring of outflows, which will be at almost 100% next year. They have imposed £150 million in punitive fines on water companies. They have sponsored investment of more than £56 billion, over decades, into the water network. They are the first Government to tackle the issue for many decades. Does the Secretary of State agree that the Labour spokesman was talking poo?
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Dr Thérèse Coffey)
I think that is a polite way of describing what we heard.