Rivers: Environment Protection

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs written question – answered at on 15 May 2025.

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Photo of Kevin Hollinrake Kevin Hollinrake Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on the future of the chalk stream recovery pack programme.

Photo of Emma Hardy Emma Hardy The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works.

Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution and physical modifications of habitats. Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is part of our overall programme of reforms for the water sector.

Alongside this, we are continuing to direct investment to projects that will improve chalk streams. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029.

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