The White Paper sets out what have been described as ‘once-in-a-generation reforms’ to the UK water system, with a strong focus on addressing sewage and wastewater failures as a key driver of poor water quality.
 
Commenting on the proposals, Carla Lockhart MP said: “I welcome this clear, evidence-based recognition that sewage and wastewater failures are central to poor water quality, rather than the default and lazy position of placing the blame solely at the door of agriculture.
 
“For too long, farmers have been used as a convenient scapegoat, despite growing evidence that untreated or poorly treated sewage discharges are a major contributor to the pollution of rivers, lakes and coastal waters.”
 
While acknowledging that the White Paper does not apply directly to Northern Ireland, Carla Lockhart MP advised that the evidence behind must not be ignored locally.
 
“I appreciate that these reforms are not applicable to Northern Ireland due to our different governance arrangements. However, I have formally asked the Secretary of State to ensure that the evidence and data underpinning this White Paper are shared in full with the Northern Ireland Executive.’
 
The DUP Agriculture spokesperson added: “Evidence does not stop at the Irish Sea, and policy decisions here must be rooted in facts, not ideology.”
 
Ms Lockhart contrasted the Westminster approach with the current direction being taken by the Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister.
 
“This balanced and informed approach is entirely absent in Northern Ireland, where the Agriculture Minister, Andrew Muir, is pursuing an extreme and one-sided environmental agenda through the proposed Nutrients Action Programme (NAP).
 
“Under NAP, farmers are being targeted in isolation, with sweeping restrictions and penalties, while the elephant in the room continues to be ignored.”
 
She said the scale of sewage discharges by Northern Ireland Water must be honestly addressed.
 
“Northern Ireland Water continues to discharge more than 20 million tonnes of sewage into our rivers and loughs every year. Any policy that claims to be serious about improving water quality but refuses to confront that reality is neither fair nor credible.
 
“You cannot fix water quality by punishing one sector while giving another a free pass. That approach will fail environmentally, economically and socially.”
 
Carla Lockhart MP added: “Farmers must be treated as part of the solution, not the problem.
 
“Farmers care deeply about the land and waterways they depend on. They want to be part of a genuine solution, but that requires honesty, proportionality and a willingness from Ministers to tackle all sources of pollution, including sewage infrastructure that is clearly not fit for purpose.
 
“Minister Muir needs to step back from this ideological approach, engage with the evidence and deliver a water strategy that is balanced, fair and grounded in reality.”