Oral QuestionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

What steps she is taking to clear waterways.

Tabled: 11 December 2025Answered: 18 December 2025

Asked by

Lauren Edwards

LabourRochester and Strood

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Answer from Hansard

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Hardy)

We will restore our waterways to places communities can be proud of, where nature flourishes. Our environmental improvement plan outlines actions to reduce the volume of rainwater and pollutants entering the sewerage system, and we are rebuilding the water network through a record £104 billion investment. That includes over £10 billion to reduce sewer discharges from over 2,500 storm overflows in England and £4.8 billion to reduce phosphorus pollution.