Tory MPs block law to name and shame water companies that kill animals with sewage

The amendment to the Animal Welfare Bill was voted down by 286 MPs’ votes to 179

Water companies are under investigation for sewage dumping (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Conservative MPs have voted down a law that would have named and shamed water companies that kill animals animals by dumping sewage into the natural environment.

In a Commons division on Monday evening parliament rejected the plan by 286 votes to 179 – despite support from the Liberal Democrats, Labour, and other parties.

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.

MPs in favour of the change argued that current enforcement of how private water companies operate is too weak – noting that between 2018 and 2021, there were only 11 prosecutions of water companies for dumping sewage.

Following the defeat of the plan, Liberal Democrat rural affairs spokesperson Tim Farron, who proposed the amendment, said Conservative MPs "should hang their heads in shame".

"Yet again they have let water companies off the hook whilst our precious rivers and waters are being pumped full of raw sewage," he said.

“Enough is enough, we need to name and shame water companies which are being found to destroy precious wildlife habitat. It is scandalous that animals are swimming in filth and seeing their habitats become sewage traps.

“This is a national scandal. Time and time again Conservative MPs refuse to take tough action on water companies. When will they finally listen to the public and do the right thing before our rivers are damaged beyond repair?”

283 Tories voted against the motion, plus independent, Anne Marie Morris, who was elected as a Tory but now sits as an independent.

The motion to require the reports was backed by nine Liberal Democrats, 158 Labour MPs, 1 Green, two Plaid Cymru, five DUP, one Alliance party member, and one Conservative MP, Henry Smith.

Rejecting the amendment in the Commons, environment minister Jo Churchill said: "It is important that we do not dictate the committee’s work plan. Its members are the experts, not us, and are best placed to know where they can add value."

Water companies posted 2.8 billion in operating profits in 2020/21, with all of England and Wales' monopolies raking in hundreds of millions of pounds in profit despite rising bills.

Campaigners say the private companies have for years been underinvesting infrastructure to boost their profits.

And conservationists are worried that lax treatment of water is leading to ecological damage, including in high-profile locations like Lake Windermere.

Last week Ofwat, the regulator, said it was seriously concerned about the companies dumping sewage into seas and rivers and launch an investigation over "widespread shortcomings".

The Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has been contacted for comment.