Today, Bexhill's beach is red-flagged, meaning that people should not enter the sea. It is also the only beach in the area that is not rated 'excellent' or 'good' for it's bathing quality.

With this in mind, this afternoon during an Urgent Question on sewage pollution in the House of Commons, I asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to ensure that areas, such as Bexhill, that do not currently have good quality bathing water have a higher priority when the Government's Discharge Reduction Plan is delivered. I am pleased that the Secretary of State provided me with assurances that this would be the case.

I will continue to press for action to be taken on sewage discharges, and have secured a Westminster Hall debate on the subject on Wednesday 14 September, between. 2.30-4.00pm. The debate will be broadcast live on Parliament TV.

Huw Merriman:

Mr Speaker, thank you for granting not only this urgent question, but a 90-minute debate next Wednesday at 2.30 pm in Westminster Hall. Bexhill’s beach is red-flagged today, as it was yesterday, meaning that people should not enter the sea. It was the only beach in the area to be red-flagged and it is the only beach in the area whose bathing quality is not either “excellent” or “good”. I welcome the Secretary of State’s plan, but may I ask him to ensure that the areas that do not have good-quality bathing have a higher degree of prioritisation in the delivery of this plan?

Secretary of State, George Eustice:

I absolutely give my hon. Friend that assurance. Our discharge reduction plan absolutely prioritises bathing waters in those near-term investments.