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The previous Secretary for DEFRA (Steve Reed) saw passage of the Water (Special Measures) Act which allows the government to bring criminal charges against wate

by scott_w 11mo ago

The previous Secretary for DEFRA (Steve Reed) saw passage of the Water (Special Measures) Act which allows the government to bring criminal charges against water company executives for persistent lawbreaking. So to say, "uk gov does nothing" is simply not true. The Labour government has started doing things. However, it's starting from a place where the previous Conservative government functionally removed all legal requirements. In particular, Liz Truss in the same role issued instruction that water companies no longer need to monitor sewage outflows and can just self-report. EDIT: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-special-measures-bill-policy-statement/water-special-measures-bill-policy-statement#bring-criminal-charges-against-persistent-law-breakers https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-special-mea...

callamdelaney 11mo ago
'allows' being the operative term here which means that the statement you attempt to contradict has not been contradicted. How many executives has the UK government sought to prosecute under this law?
- scott_w 11mo ago
  > 'allows' being the operative term here which means that the statement you attempt to contradict has not been contradicted. That's a totally absurd statement in response to "the current government put a new law on the books to give themselves the power to prosecute." > How many executives has the UK government sought to prosecute under this law? As stated in my original reply: it came into force in February 2025. It's currently November 2025. It takes time to commit "multiple" offences, particularly given they need to be investigated and convicted. And no, dumping sewage twice doesn't automatically count under any legal regime. In addition, DEFRA identified that Ofwat (the water regulator) is not fit for purpose in July 2025 and set out a proposal to abolish and replace it. So yes, it does contradict your statement because the government is literally acting. What would you propose happen instead? That the government hold show trials and just start locking up water company staff and execs?

by scott_w 11mo ago

callamdelaney 11mo ago

'allows' being the operative term here which means that the statement you attempt to contradict has not been contradicted. How many executives has the UK government sought to prosecute under this law?

scott_w 11mo ago
> 'allows' being the operative term here which means that the statement you attempt to contradict has not been contradicted. That's a totally absurd statement in response to "the current government put a new law on the books to give themselves the power to prosecute." > How many executives has the UK government sought to prosecute under this law? As stated in my original reply: it came into force in February 2025. It's currently November 2025. It takes time to commit "multiple" offences, particularly given they need to be investigated and convicted. And no, dumping sewage twice doesn't automatically count under any legal regime. In addition, DEFRA identified that Ofwat (the water regulator) is not fit for purpose in July 2025 and set out a proposal to abolish and replace it. So yes, it does contradict your statement because the government is literally acting. What would you propose happen instead? That the government hold show trials and just start locking up water company staff and execs?