City MP Stephen Morgan has welcomed plans for water companies to face quicker penalties of up to £500,000 if they commit environmental offences.
A consultation has been launched to expand and strengthen the current range of financial penalties available to the Environment Agency in a bid to clamp down on more offences.
Currently, the EA struggles to impose financial penalties for frequent, minor and moderate offending – such as some breaches of a licence or a permit.
This is because it needs to prove an offence to the same high legal standard used in criminal courts – making penalties too expensive and time-consuming to pursue for less serious offences.
The changes would lower the standard of proof needed, making it much easier and quicker to hold water companies to account.
These changes would sit alongside existing enforcement tools, including unlimited financial penalties – known as Variable Monetary Penalties – where offending is proved to a criminal standard.
There would remain the option of prosecution for the most serious offences.
The move builds on immediate action the Government has already taken across the water sector – including blocking unfair bonuses for polluting water bosses – and will form part of the longer-term reforms.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“It’s great to see so much progress on delivering our manifesto pledge to clean up our waterways in Portsmouth and across the country.
“Earlier this year I was proud to vote in support of our landmark Water Act which has seen the banning of unfair bonuses for polluting water bosses.
“I’m also delighted Labour is bringing forward systemic reform of the water sector including £104 billion of private investment to fix crumbling infrastructure and building new reservoirs to ensure water security.”
Secretary of State, Emma Reynolds, said:
“I share the public’s anger at the current state of our water system, and this government is taking decisive action.
“I want to give the Environment Agency the teeth it needs to tackle all rule breaking. With new, automatic and tougher penalties for water companies, there will be swift consequences for offences – including not treating sewage to the required standard and maintenance failures.
“We are delivering on our Plan for Change by pushing ahead with reforms to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.”
Earlier this year Mr Morgan welcomed former Environment Secretary Steve Reed to Portsmouth as the Labour Government’s landmark bill to crack down on bosses polluting waterways in Portsmouth became law.
You can read about Mr Morgan’s long track record campaigning to stop the sewage here: https://www.stephenmorgan.org.uk/backs-tough-plans-to-tackle-sewage/
