Therese Coffey is reportedly backing away from plans to hit water companies with fines of up to £250 million for spilling sewage into rivers and seas.
The Environment Secretary wants to look at a “range of options”, although sources insisted the £250 million proposal remained on the table.
Coffey’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said water companies “must be held to account” for poor performance and record fines totalling £101 million were handed out in 2021.
But questions have arisen over whether the department is doing enough.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Feargal Sharkey said we are “slowly killing every single river in the country”.
Watch his comments in full below:
