Water bosses could face 2 years in prison in pollution crackdown

National World - LocalTV

In a bid to combat water pollution in the UK, the government is debating a new bill which could see water bosses sent to prison. All the details, later.

Transcript

00:00Should there be harsher punishments for water company executives that spill sewage into

00:06the UK's lakes, rivers and the sea? That's what the government is proposing with a new

00:09law potentially meaning water bosses could face up to two years in prison and be blocked

00:14from receiving bonuses. Environment Secretary Steve Reid said the measures would end the

00:19disgraceful behaviour of water companies and their bosses. But some anti-pollution campaigners

00:23have said the legislation doesn't go far enough to create meaningful change. The proposed

00:28Water Special Measures Bill could see the burden of proof lowered so the Environment

00:32Agency can bring forward criminal charges against those believed to be responsible for

00:37polluting the UK's waterways. If standards of environmental protection aren't met, regulators

00:42would be able to stop bonus payments and bosses would be made criminally liable if they don't

00:47cooperate with investigations. However, clean water campaigners said the bill amounts to

00:52window dressing. Charles Watson of River Action accused the government of not fixing anything

00:57because it's the system that is broken, saying that despite the threat of jail time, he doesn't

01:01think anyone will be going to prison.

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