Green MP: Companies must not profit from pollution

Newly-elected Green MP Ellie Chowns highlighted pollution in the River Wye as part of her maiden speech in the House of Commons

A Green Party MP has used her maiden speech in the House of Commons to stress the need to restore rivers back to good health.

Ellie Chowns, MP for North Herefordshire and the first Green Party MP in the Midlands, highlighted pollution in the River Wye, saying it was an issue close to her heart and those of her constituents.

Ms Chowns said there was a good understanding of the cause of the Wye's pollution, and that it was primarily due to agricultural run-off.

"For too long our rivers have been treated as free sewers, and this cannot continue," she said.

"Businesses cannot 'free ride' on the natural world, companies must not profit from pollution."

The Wye is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and is home to protected species such as otters, kingfishers, white-clawed crayfish and the Atlantic Salmon.

However, the status of the river was last year downgraded to "unfavourable – declining" by Natural England.

"The recent major expansion of the industrial poultry industry [is] clearly playing a key role," the Green MP said.

Earlier this month, lawyers representing people who claim to have been affected by pollution on the River Wye have written to three companies they believe are responsible.

The companies defended their record, saying they were "proud" of their operations.

In June, Welsh Water was also fined £90,000 after the Environment Agency (EA) found water waste levels near Hereford exceeded the legal limit three times in one year in 2020 and 2021.

The River Wye was voted the nation's favourite river in 2010, but is now suffering from phosphate pollution

Ms Chowns told the House of Commons: "We now need a supportive government that will take the action needed to enforce pollution rules and invest in genuine solutions.

"We know that restoring the river and indeed all of our rivers across the country goes hand in hand with renewing our economy. Indeed, sectors such as tourism and the construction industry depend on it."

She also said farmers had a key role to play in river and nature restoration.

"Living on a farm myself, I am particularly inspired by the fact that so many farmers are themselves leading the transition to more nature-friendly farming," she said.

"I will be a voice for those farmers in this house, calling for the investment that farmers need to ensure that we can grow more good, healthy, affordable food in the UK, in a way that generates and protects good jobs, and protects nature and the health of the soil and water, on which all life ultimately depends."

Ms Chowns has also tabled an Early Day Motion calling for all water companies to be brought into public ownership, which has been backed by 16 MPs, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.