Overview

• Steve Reed made his claim about higher pollution in Scotland during a Channel 4 News interview while rejecting calls to renationalise England’s water services.
• Scottish Energy Secretary Gillian Martin formally wrote to Reed demanding a public apology and correction for what she deemed “inaccurate and misleading” comments.
• The Independent Water Commission found 66% of Scottish water bodies in good ecological status compared with 16.1% in England and 29.9% in Wales.
• SEPA data show 87% of Scotland’s water environment at high or good quality, up from 82% in 2014, a rise ministers attribute to investment without shareholder profit pressures.
• DEFRA rejected Scotland’s challenge, citing higher pollution incidents per mile of sewer north of the border and warning that renationalisation would cost around £100 billion and slow pollution reduction.