Category: Sewage

Water Bill Committee Stage Day 2

Published on by jonesjb

If I look at this from a completely different perspective, possibly from the perspective of the previous Government, it was a remarkable success story over 14 years because we had huge growth in sewage and pollution and it had a multiplier impact on gross national product. Growth is not an indicator of happiness or of the economy being run for the benefit of many. It is a nonsense soundbite for the economically illiterate and needs to be deleted from this legislation Continue reading “Water Bill Committee Stage Day 2” →

Water (Special Measures) Bill [HL] Second Reading

Published on by jonesjb

I will bring forward amendments to ensure that this Bill does not simply allow these failed zombie companies to continue extracting bill payers’ cash while loading huge amounts of debt on to the balance sheet. The Government need a serious look at the opportunity to bring these companies into public ownership, and this Bill should give Ministers the option to nationalise these companies where it makes sense. Continue reading “Water (Special Measures) Bill [HL] Second Reading” →

Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill Second Reading

Published on by jonesjb

Privatisation of rail has given us higher fares and generated a fat profit for all the state-owned German and French rail companies, which took advantage of UK taxpayers. I congratulate Labour on bringing this to an end. But why not end the disastrous mistake of water privatisation that will cost £12.5 billion in this Parliament alone, only to pay shareholders and creditors, but which will still result in waterways full of faeces, agricultural run-off, other chemicals, drugs, paint, bleach and plastic? If water companies collapsed, we could buy them for pennies and run them ourselves. Continue reading “Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill Second Reading” →

Jenny wins River and Seas Award

Published on by jonesjb

Last night Jenny won the River and Seas Award at the Nature 2030 Political Purpose awards! The award was presented by James Wallace of River Action. The awards are designed to recognise the efforts of UK politicians who have supported and championed environmental causes over the last year, incentivizing more politicians to devote their time to protecting nature. Continue reading “Jenny wins River and Seas Award” →

Pollution in Rivers and Regulation of Private Water Companies

Published on by jonesjb

No single stretch of river in England or Northern Ireland is in good overall health. 85% of river stretches in England have failed to reach good ecological health and toxic chemicals pollute every stretch of English rivers. What a legacy this Government have left us. Ofwat has failed and the Environment Agency has failed. Continue reading “Pollution in Rivers and Regulation of Private Water Companies” →

My new Bill to win back public control of the water industry

Published on by jonesjb

Water Industry (Regulation and Renationalisation) Bill 

A Bill to make provision about the structure, ownership and regulation of the water industry; to allow, and in specified circumstances require the Secretary of State to bring water assets into public ownership; to provide for the recovery of dividends; to provide for monitoring of water quality; to set a target for the reduction of sewage discharges; to provide for financial penalties in relation to sewage discharges and breaches of monitoring requirements; to require the Secretary of State to publish a strategy for the reduction of sewage discharges from storm overflows, including an economic impact assessment; and for connected purposes. Continue reading “My new Bill to win back public control of the water industry” →