Tory MPs block law to “name and shame” water companies killing animals with sewage

The amendment to the Animal Welfare Bill would have required a new committee on animals to detail "the number of sentient animals killed or injured as a result of polluted rivers".

It would also have required the report to explain what water companies were doing to protect animals in the future.

The vote follows toxic substances known as “forever chemicals” being detected in otters across England and Wales. 

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Witney MP Robert Courts and Banbury MP Victoria Prentis were among 283 Conservative MPs who voted against the proposals, versus 179 opposition MPs.

Following the defeat of the amendment, which was tabled by the Liberal Democrats, Layla Moran, Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said: “Our local Conservative MPs have again refused to take action against water companies. 

“People around here are furious at how badly Thames Water treats our local environment. It is outrageous to think wildlife in our local rivers is being poisoned by disgusting raw sewage.

"I joined with hundreds of protesters earlier this year in Wolvercote to demand action to clean up our rivers, and I am incredibly disappointed to see the Government yet again vote against doing just that.

“It is time these water companies stopped polluting our rivers and pay for the mess they have made.”

But Mr Courts hit back.

He said: "This was not a proposed new law. This was an amendment to unrelated legislation with the intention of creating precisely this wholly misleading story.

"As its proponents knew full well, the Animal Sentience Committee created by the Bill is not there to monitor the activity of businesses, but to hold government to account and ensure policy decisions are properly considering the sentience of animals.

"This amendment would, therefore, have meant changing the purpose of the new committee and destroying its value.

"Rather than pulling political stunts to generate cheap partisan headlines, I would encourage the proponents of this amendment to work constructively with those of us who have been campaigning on this issue for years and help ensure the water companies abide by the strong new legal protections that we have put into law."

Ms Prentis said the Environment Act already made several key duties law in relation to water companies monitoring and reporting on storm overflows, "which will mean continuous and near real time data is available and will significantly increase our understanding of the water quality of our rivers, protecting wildlife".

She added: "The committee may not make value judgements as to whether policy strikes the right balance between animal welfare and other important matters of public interests. Nor is it designed to monitor the activities of business. 

"Once established, it will be for the committee to formally agree its objectives and responsibilities. We do not want to dictate the committee’s workplan."