This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.<\/p>
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We do not have plans to introduce legislation that will require this of water companies. However, this Government is clear that the volume of sewage being discharged into our waters is unacceptable. That is why our Plan for Water sets out more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement to tackle pollution and clean up our water.<\/p>
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Alongside this, our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan sets clear and specific targets for water companies, regulators and the Government, to work towards the long-term ambition of eliminating ecological harm from storm overflows. This will protect biodiversity at both a local and national scale.<\/p>
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We have also set a world-leading, legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030. This target will drive wide-ranging actions to deliver nature recovery.<\/p>
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We know that to meet our targets we will need large-scale habitat restoration, creation and improved connectivity; to tackle pressures on species including pollution, unsustainable use of resources and climate change; and targeted action to recover specific species.<\/p>
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Action to restore or create freshwater habitats will support species in our indicator that live in and rely on lakes and rivers such as kingfishers, silver bream, perch, and minnow.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4522", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rebecca Pow"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Taunton Deane"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rebecca Pow"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-13T15:38:12.93Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sewage: Waste Disposal"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will introduce legislation to require water companies to report annually on the number of animals killed as a result of raw sewage discharges.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"} ], "uin" : "221"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667533", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667533/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Defra\u2019s Call for Evidence on Labelling for Animal Welfare gathered data on the impacts of different types of labelling reforms. Based on the information gathered, we will continue to work with stakeholders to explore how we can harness the market to improve food information for consumers. We will continue to gather evidence on the impacts of a wide range of market interventions, as well as how they could align with wider labelling proposals such as eco-labelling.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4055", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sherwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Spencer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-14T10:58:43.757Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Animal Welfare: Labelling"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Summary of Responses to the Call for Evidence on Labelling for Animal Welfare, published by her Department in August 2022, whether she plans to take steps to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce labelling for animal welfare.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4844", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Vickers"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Matt Vickers"} ], "uin" : "605"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667536", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667536/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Defra has no plans to bring forward legislative proposals. Public health threats are the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Care.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4522", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rebecca Pow"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Taunton Deane"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rebecca Pow"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-15T14:36:59.16Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Plastics: Health Hazards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to establish an independent body to (a) identify and (b) monitor public health threats from (i) plastic and (ii) microplastic contamination.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4424", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John McNally"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Falkirk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John McNally"} ], "uin" : "265"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667538", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667538/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 \u2013 which, in part, are designed to prevent contamination of drinking water supplies from water fittings \u2013 do not cover the design of boilers or hot water tanks, including the materials they are constructed from. If a consumer suspects that their drinking water is contaminated, they should contact their local water company who will investigate. If the cause of contamination is identified as occurring from plumbing inside the property, water companies will provide instructions to the consumer on remedial action to consider such as replacement or repair of the defective component. All plumbing inside a property is the responsibility of the property owner.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4522", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rebecca Pow"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Taunton Deane"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rebecca Pow"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-15T13:57:44.327Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Plastics: Boilers and Water Supply"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to ban plastic materials in (a) boilers and (b) water tanks.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4424", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John McNally"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Falkirk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John McNally"} ], "uin" : "267"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667575", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667575/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In the last 12 months the Environment Agency (EA) has received six reports of illegal waste disposal in the London Borough of Enfield. There were three reports of small-scale burning which were all referred to the council, and where two addresses were identified as carrying out burning, letters were sent. There was one small-scale fly tipping incident in the N9 area which was also referred to Enfield Council due to the impact on the highways, and two major fly tipping incidents in the N11 and N18 areas. The EA currently has no outstanding investigations in the illegal disposal of waste in the Enfield area.<\/p>
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The EA continues to work closely with internal and external stakeholders across London and the Southeast to initiate partnership solutions to the multi-faceted issues we deal with, often involving significant investigations of various strands to not only disrupt criminal activity but to hold to account those responsible.<\/p>