Last night in Parliament Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely, voted with his party to reject the so-called ‘sewage amendment’.
The Isle of Wight MP voted in favour of the motion to disagree to amendment 31C (the ‘sewage amendment’).
The amendment (31C), drawn up by the Duke of Wellington and passed in the Lords but rejected by Conservatives last night, would have forced the water companies to “take all reasonable steps” to prevent raw sewage discharges – instead Parliament voted for water companies to make a “progressive reduction” in the raw sewage that is dumped in rivers and seas as storm overflows.
Disagreeing views
One environment minister claimed the government’s amendment would place a clear legal duty on water companies to deliver improvements to storm overflows. However, campaigners argue that the amendment voted through weakens the current law.
Barrister Jolyon Maugham, director of the Good Law Project, called the government’s replacement amendment a “cruel trick on those of us who want to be able safely to swim in our rivers and beaches”.
Seely: Writing to Southern Water to ensure Island is prioritised
Bob Seely spoke in the debate and last night tweeted a thread about it.
News OnTheWight has asked the MP why he chose to vote the way he did.
He said,
“For the first time, we will take large-scale and consistent action to clean-up our rivers and beaches thanks to the ground-breaking Environment Bill going through Parliament.
“When this becomes law, it will have a profound and positive impact on our environment and the natural world.”
Seely said,
“By 2025 we will see water companies invest £7.1bn in environmental improvements in England, including £3.1 billion on storm overflow improvements alone.
“This new law will force water companies to significantly reduce the frequency and volume of storm overflows making Isle of Wight waters cleaner. Government will also have powers to order water companies to act if they don’t move fast enough.
“This Bill means that Government will deliver a statutory plan to reduce discharges from storm overflows and the harm this causes by September 2022 and report to Parliament on progress. Labour talk about this but did nothing when they were in power. Pollution in rivers and on our beaches got worse and worse. The Conservatives are now taking action to clean up our environment and we can go further and faster – precisely because of Brexit – and have higher standards than the EU.
“There will now be a duty on water firms to deliver plans explaining how they’ll manage and develop their drains and sewers.
“The Government will also report on actions needed to eliminate discharges from storm overflows in England entirely, and costs and benefits of actions.
“It has also set up the Storm Overflows Task Force bringing water firms, environmental NGOs, regulators, and Government together to progress sewage discharges work.
“There’s also a new duty on water companies and the Environment Agency to publish information on storm overflow operations and monitor water quality up and downstream of storm overflows and sewage works.”
He added
“I, and others, spoke with Environment Minister Rebecca Pow to make sure she was aware of concerns over sewage and overflow discharge. She listened, and the Bill has been strengthened.
“I am pleased that high amenity and ecologically sensitive areas will be prioritised. This clearly includes the Island. I am writing to Southern Water to ensure the Island will be prioritised. Our water needs to be clean: for Islanders, for visitors, for the environment.”
Quigley: I will honour my offer
Isle of Wight Labour councillor, Richard Quigley, had said he would “dress in an outfit of his [Bob Seely’s] choice for a whole day and stand outside M&S telling everyone what a hero he is” if the MP voted for the ‘sewage amendment’.
Following last night’s vote, Quigley said,
“OK, so he’s failed on the first half of the bet, but in the spirit of fair play, I will honour my offer if he votes against the Health and Social care bill.”
Article edit
2.50pm 9th Nov 2021 – Comments from Seely added
Sources: The Guardian and BBC News
Image: Joseph Barrientos under CC BY 2.0
