Written question WQ97038
- Asked by
- Delyth JewellPlaid
- To be answered by
- Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 7 days
Question
What are the consequences of the Welsh Government failing to meet its statutory duty to ensure that all water bodies in Wales achieve a minimum status of good by 2027 as per the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017?
Answer
Answered by Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
The recently published Independent Water Commission Report was jointly commissioned by the Welsh Government and UK Government and is the most extensive review of the water sector in Wales and England since privatisation. The report has recognised that the environmental objectives of the Water Framework Directive are unlikely to be met. The report also notes that shortcomings in the 2017 Regulations have contributed to this failure. It recommends the need to consult on reforming the 2017 Regulations to bring them in line with public and environmental expectations. We are currently considering the recommendations set out in the report and will provide further detail on our intended approach this Autumn.