New law proposed over River Wye pollution

A new law has been proposed to mandate the government to clean up pollution in the River Wye.

Hereford and South Herefordshire Conservative MP Jesse Norman presented a bill in the House of Commons on Tuesday. The bill co-sponsored by North Herefordshire's Green MP Ellie Chowns.

He said it would "for the first time require the Secretary of State for Defra [department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] by law, to publish and implement a plan for cleaning and improving the water quality of the River Wye".

The bill has now had its first reading in the Commons. After being approved by MPs it will receive its second reading on 4 July.

The river is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and is home to protected species such as otters, kingfishers, white-clawed crayfish, but its status was downgraded in 2023 to "unfavourable - declining" by Natural England.

"Many of the key clean up measures and mitigations are well understood," Norman said.

"What we need now is action. We need an end to delay. We need political leadership from ministers on both sides of the border."

He also criticised the Labour government for abandoning a River Wye Action Plan, announced by the Conservatives before the General Election last July.

The plan had faced criticism from environmental groups for falling "far short" of what was needed, and for applying primarily to England, not Wales.

At the time water minister Emma Hardy MP said it would produce a new plan for the Wye, which would involve the Welsh government.

Norman described the river as "a true national treasure" which needed "a sustained collective effort", led by the UK and Welsh governments to ensure it was restored to health as swiftly as possible.

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