Government storm overflow targets to be enshrined in law as Labour Bill bid fails

Environment secretary, Therese Coffey, announced last week that the targets detailed in Defra’s £56bn Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan will be enshrined in law.

Coffey told the Commons: “Through the Environment Act 2021, we will legislate for a clear target on storm overflow reduction in line with our Plan. A clear, credible and costed legally binding target will add to our transparent and determined approach to solve this issue, whilst keeping consumer bills low. This will also be backed by existing separate interim targets for bathing waters and our most precious habitats.”

The statement came the day the Government derailed Labour’s bid to pass an Opposition Day Motion that would have allowed Labour to bring its Water Quality (Sewage Discharge) Bill to the House today (2 May).

Coffey introduced an amendment that was successfully passed, leading to Labour MPs abstaining on the motion.

In a letter to Conservative MPs, shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon and campaigner and Bill supporter Feargal Sharkey said Labour’s legislation sought four main outcomes:

• setting a legal requirement for the monitoring of all sewage outlets and penalties for failures in adhering to monitoring requirements;

• imposing automatic penalties for sewage dumping;

• implementing a legally binding target to end the Tory sewage scandal; and

• a requirement for the secretary of state to publish a strategy for the reduction of sewage discharges and regular economic impact assessments.

During the debate on the motion, Conservatives argued Labour’s Bill was unnecessary because action is already being taken, and impractical in its ambitions.