Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 76
76
Paragraph: 372
Pollution across river catchments must be progressively reduced from all sources in the catchment until...
Conclusion
Pollution across river catchments must be progressively reduced from all sources in the catchment until it does not exceed the capacity of the land and the rivers to handle the nutrients. We therefore recommend that DEFRA direct the Environment Agency and Natural England to calculate nutrient budgets for each river catchment in England.
Paragraph Reference:
372
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The Government agrees with the recommendation that incentivising and providing support for progressive action, such as through existing and future agri-environment schemes, is required to improve the condition of our water bodies. The Government has already committed to prioritise water quality in the delivery of the new schemes. The Secretary of State set out, in his Written Ministerial Statement in December 2021, that water quality is one of the primary high-level priorities for the new environmental land management schemes. Restoring England’s streams and rivers is one of two themes that the Landscape Recovery scheme will focus on during its first round of applications, and, in the first year of the schemes, the Sustainable Farming Incentive will focus on actions to reduce nutrient leaching and protect soils. As part of the development of the new environmental land management schemes, Defra have been working closely with experts in Natural England and the Environment Agency to ensure that these schemes will support farmers to improve water quality. For example, as outlined in the December 2021 update on the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, standards on nutrient management and water body buffer zones, among a range of others, are under consideration.