💧 River Wye (Cleaning)

Commons Chamber

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Jesse Norman, a UK MP, introduced a Bill to Parliament aimed at forcing the government to create and execute a plan to clean and improve the water quality of the River Wye. He highlighted the river’s ecological importance and its struggle with environmental pressures like high phosphate levels from agriculture and sewage. Despite some progress, including the establishment of a working group and a previous action plan, the new government dropped these initiatives, prompting the need for legislative action. Norman stressed the urgency of collaborative efforts from all stakeholders to restore this national treasure.

Summary

  • Jesse Norman, MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire, proposed a Bill to address the pollution of the River Wye.
  • The River Wye, known for its beauty and ecological importance, runs from mid-Wales to the Severn estuary and is a vital part of local and national heritage.
  • Recent environmental pressures, especially from high phosphate levels due to agricultural run-off, sewage, and changes in land management, have harmed the river’s water quality and aquatic life.
  • Norman has been actively involved since 2020, pushing for a collective action plan from environmental agencies and local councils across the England-Wales border.
  • Significant achievements include the establishment of a phosphates working group and the ringfencing of fines from water companies for a national rivers recovery fund.
  • Despite local efforts and community involvement, progress at the national level has been slow, with political differences delaying a comprehensive catchment-wide plan.
  • A River Wye action plan was published last year, covering the English part of the river with £35 million allocated for recovery, but the new government dropped this plan and the associated river champion role.
  • The proposed Bill would legally require the Secretary of State to publish and implement a plan for cleaning and improving the River Wye’s water quality.
  • The Bill aims to enhance land management, water treatment, and sustainable farming, and calls for stronger oversight and enforcement.
  • Norman emphasized the need for long-term, collaborative efforts involving both UK and Welsh Governments to restore the River Wye to health.

The Bill was read for the first time and is scheduled for its second reading on Friday 4 July.

Divisiveness

The transcript of the parliamentary session shows a low level of disagreement, warranting a rating of 1 on a scale of 1 to 5. The session focused on the motion to bring in a Bill to address the pollution of the River Wye, presented by Jesse Norman. Throughout the speech, there is no recorded opposition or disagreement from other MPs. Instead, the motion was ‘put and agreed to’ without any recorded dissent, indicating unanimous support or at least no public opposition during the session.

Jesse Norman’s speech detailed the background and urgency of the issue without encountering any interruptions or opposing viewpoints from other members of Parliament. He mentioned the disappointment with the new Government’s reversal of previous commitments, but this was stated as a fact rather than sparking a debate or disagreement within the session. Furthermore, while he expressed regret over the lack of presence and support from other Wye catchment MPs, this was not contested or debated within the session.

The absence of any recorded speech or intervention by other MPs during the session further underscores the lack of disagreement. The Bill was presented and moved forward to its First reading without any visible contention, supporting the assessment of minimal disagreement within the session.