Sewage spills controversy: Harrogate MP hits back with pledge to achieve more progress on water quality

After Harrogate Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Tom Gordon attacked both the Conservative Government and Andrew Jones MP for voting down tougher action on polluting water firms and not doing enough to tackle the sewage spills scandal, Mr Jones said he was fed up with “he-said-she-said politicking.”

“We have seen too much of the he-said-she-said politicking about this issue,” said the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough,” said Mr Jones.

"Despite what some like to pretend, no politician has ever voted to discharge raw sewage into rivers.

"What we need, and what we are getting, is action – local and national – not U.S.-style attack politics.”

Harrogate and Lib Dem argue that yesterday’s apology by water companies in England for sewage spills and the announcement of a £10 billion investment in a new National Overflows Plan is still too little too late.

But Mr Jones argues that real progress is being made on water quality and he is playing his part.

“I welcome the investment announced by Yorkshire Water,” said Mr Jones.

"Putting £180 million between now and 2025 into reducing discharges from storm overflows is a significant commitment.

"This is in addition to the £147m already committed in Yorkshire Water’s business plan.

"I am pleased to see too that the commitment is to do even more in their five-year-plan between 2025 and 2030.

"This will build on the decrease in the operation of storm overflows in Yorkshire last year.

“I note as well that dividends have not been paid to shareholders by Yorkshire Water since 2017.

"In the current climate this is the right call for the company to have made.

“While acknowledging areas such as river quality where significant progress needs to be made we do need to recognise that there has been progress.

"In 2009, 75 per cent of bathing water sites were classed as good or excellent.

"In 2022 the figure was over 92 per cent.

"This has been achieved through improved monitoring, infrastructure and enforcement.

“I will continue to work with the Nidd Action Group, Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency, businesses and residents to compile a case to put to DEFRA to designate the River Nidd at the Lido in Knaresborough as a bathing water quality site.

"The survey work starts tomorrow and anyone who wants to join the team can contact my office or the Nidd Action Group through their website.”