- 2 hours ago
Dirty Business S01E03 (2026) [Full Movie] [High Quality]Full EP - Full
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:04I'm not sure if I'm going to go in.
00:06Really?
00:07Yeah.
00:08You'll be fine.
00:09Be cold.
00:10You're drowning.
00:14Or maybe you try it for a bit.
00:15I'll go first.
00:18Looking good.
00:19Looking rough.
00:21Scaredy cat.
00:23I'm not sure.
00:24Surprise, you?
00:49No prints.
00:53Nothing taken or disturbed?
00:57No.
00:58Unfortunately, the blood sample wasn't big enough for the lab to get a full DNA read.
01:05It's disappointing.
01:08Well, I really thought there was enough for a full sample.
01:12Apparently not.
01:14What about the glove mark?
01:15Not enough resolution for them to do anything with.
01:18You know, I took photos of the house right after the break-in.
01:23And nothing was touched?
01:25No.
01:26Or they put everything back in its place, which is what you would do if you were installing a listening
01:31device.
01:31I've applied for warrants to do exactly that.
01:34You're a copper?
01:34Serious Crime Squad.
01:36Covert Surveillance Unit.
01:37Counter-corruption.
01:38I'm innocent.
01:41Well, I mean, as you know, we've done a couple of sweeps.
01:49Nothing.
01:50No, me neither.
01:53So, there's not much more we can do.
01:57Okay.
02:08No, no.
02:10No.
02:24No.
02:25No.
02:36Come on.
02:58Well, you've worked in surveillance, haven't you, for years, so you're telling me you can't actually see if they've got
03:05a new computer or not?
03:06No. I've done what I can to check, but you just can't tell now.
03:12You see, there's this incognito spyware runs a keylogger in the background, which means they can record every key you
03:18press, every mouse click.
03:19They can see the emails you write, your messages, your passwords, etc., everything.
03:24But they build it so you don't know it's there.
03:26What did the police say?
03:29Well, an officer came out, he took a sample of the blood, there was some blood on the handle downstairs,
03:36and he thought he could see a disposable glove mark in it, which means that whoever did it wants to
03:41make sure they're untraceable.
03:42He did think they could find a DNA result, and then nothing, nothing happens.
03:47What do you think this is, sir?
03:49Anything they can find to discredit us.
03:52Something that would look good on the cover of the Daily Mail, for example.
03:56I mean, I can't think of anything that, you know, I mean, I'm...
03:59Well, you know what it is.
04:01What's that?
04:03It's the free jazz.
04:05If that gets out, we're fucked.
04:06Oh, fuck off.
04:08But who would want to discredit us, sir?
04:10I don't know.
04:11Could be a burglar who just got scared and legged it.
04:14Yeah, well, or he could have just seen...
04:17...Jala's Hawaiian Cushions.
04:19Don't say that in front of Jala.
04:20I'm not going to do that, am I?
04:21I want to hang on to my balls.
04:24You know, the other day when this happened, the first thing I did was pick up the phone to you.
04:31Yeah, no, I did see it, yeah.
04:33You probably saw it.
04:34I hung up.
04:35Just to...
04:36Yeah, I just think that what we need now is we need a whistleblower.
04:43And we need someone from inside the agency.
04:47And high up.
04:48From the top, yeah.
04:51Eileen said that we must be making a difference.
04:53Did she?
04:54Yeah, she did.
04:55So, come on, let's...
04:57That's the point, isn't it?
04:58Yeah, we are.
04:58There's no point doing this unless we make a difference.
05:00No, let's keep going.
05:01Let's keep going and let's find that fucking whistleblower.
05:04Right.
05:06June 2019.
05:07Sir James Bevan Environment Agency.
05:10Dear Sir James, I'm writing to your office as I'm sure you will know where to direct the question.
05:14October 2019.
05:16Dear Sir James, I wrote to you to raise concerns about a serious integrity issue involving the agency.
05:23Dear Sir James, 34 days have now passed since I sent you evidence.
05:27I've given up expecting a reply from you.
05:31Dear Ashley, I am in the receipt of your email to Sir James.
05:41Would you mind coming to our office?
05:42And would the 19th suit?
05:55Is Sir James not coming?
05:57I'm afraid not.
05:58No, Sir James wouldn't routinely attend meetings at this kind of level.
06:02I'd hoped he'd be here.
06:04He's time, Paul.
06:06He's aware of your work.
06:07Well, we're trying to find out what you're going to do about the illegal sewage overflow at Boughton.
06:14The combined storm overflow.
06:15The combined storm overflow at Burton has shown no detectable effects on the water quality.
06:21The water quality is stable and not deteriorating.
06:24I mean, our data shows very clearly that we have the best quality water since the Industrial Revolution.
06:31The water's turned brown.
06:32Yeah.
06:33It's turned so brown that when it joins the Thames at Newbridge, it makes the Thames look like a Swiss
06:38mountain stream.
06:40The water is brown in places, but that's a natural phenomenon.
06:45It's caused by a geological fault.
06:47A geological fault?
06:48Yeah.
06:49Sorry.
06:50A geological fault is millions of years old.
06:53We remember when the water was clear.
06:55No one remembers the good old days before the geological fault.
06:58In the last 12 months since we installed sensors, there's been no evidence of pollution.
07:03Well, that's because you've installed the monitors upstream from the sewage pipes.
07:06Now, is that incompetence or an attempt to cover up a scandal?
07:10No.
07:10No.
07:10The agency would never position a monitor to achieve a particular reading.
07:14We are working extremely hard to transform the environment.
07:16We've improved and protected something like, I think it's 15,000 kilometers of river.
07:21It's like, but you've had 92 complaints from the general public about sewage pollution.
07:28And that's just the wind rush.
07:29I've actually got the breakdown here.
07:32Yeah, yeah.
07:35In 36 of those cases, there was no offense.
07:39And in 39, there was insufficient evidence.
07:44And in 6, we were unable to identify the offender.
07:48Oh, what do you mean you couldn't identify the offenders?
07:51Why can't you identify the offenders?
07:52There's seven sewage works along the wind rush.
07:55They're all run by Thames water.
07:56I mean, you say you've got insufficient evidence, but we keep giving you the evidence.
08:00All we ever do is give you the evidence.
08:02And all we get back is it's under investigation.
08:04And then nothing.
08:06Nothing.
08:07Nothing ever happens.
08:08In exceptional circumstances, for example, after heavy rain, the sewage systems are allowed
08:14to overflow.
08:15No.
08:16No, no, no.
08:17You see, that's not the law.
08:18The law is that in all normal climatic conditions, including heavy rainfall, the water companies
08:24have to treat the sewage.
08:25They have to make it safe before they put it back into the river.
08:29The law is a grey area.
08:30No, no, it's not a grey area with respect.
08:33It's the law.
08:33Sorry, can I?
08:35Sorry.
08:37Thames is their own data.
08:40It shows they stopped treating sewage at Northridge for more than three months.
08:46Now, they told us that their sensors had broken down, but we think they're lying.
08:54They're lying.
08:55So why would they do that?
08:58Why would they lie to you?
09:05Why would they lie to you?
09:18Why would they lie to you?
09:20Why would they lie to you?
09:23Sorry?
09:25The regulation isn't real.
09:27The government wants us to look like a regulator, but they won't let us do it.
09:30our job. Okay. When Cameron and Trust gutted the agency, we went from regulating the industry
09:38to doing its bidding. Do you think we could take your number? No, just keep going.
09:47This is going to be the first government in modern history that at the end of its parliamentary
09:52term has less regulation in place than there was at the beginning. We've now identified
09:58those 3,000 regulations that we're going to scrap. Let's reduce the amount and the burden of
10:03regulation strangled by red tape. Cut back the health and safety monster. Cut guidance by 80%
10:08and we reduce farm inspections by 34,000 every year. Regulations will go. None of my ministers
10:13could introduce a regulation unless they abolished one at the same time. Massively reduce the number
10:19of rules, laws and regulations that frankly treat all of you by idiots.
10:27So really, it's about stripping out as much unnecessary regulation as possible and taking responsibility
10:35for climate change and saying, what more can we do to get us to net zero? As you know, this
10:42is a passion
10:43project for Sir James, who feels that we can bring our car usage down by 70%. Yeah. It's, yeah. So
10:54from next
10:55month, we're going to be taking the bold decision to cut back decisively on our car leases.
11:04Yeah. Sorry. Just like to clarify what you're going to get rid of our cars. So it's about reducing the
11:14agency's carbon footprint. Just getting that. Yeah. Go ahead, Hannah. The cars that we drive to the
11:22inspections in. Right. Yeah. So self-monitoring and a more desk-based regulation is really,
11:29it's really helping us move the needle on climate change.
11:35But the remaining inspections, well, yeah. How do we get to those without a car? Yeah.
11:45It's a great question. It's a really great question. And we'll take that forward to the next
11:50discussion meeting. Thanks, Hannah. Yeah, lovely. Thanks, everyone. Great. Not easy news to break,
11:55is it? I'm surprised. Ebby's got something to say. I know. I know. I know. But my car...
11:59Everyone's driving cars. We're the environment agency. Absolutely. What's wrong with the train?
12:03I'll keep mine, I think. So, yeah. Mmm, coffee. How do I get a coffee?
12:09Does anybody know what we're looking at? Anybody? Okay. Could you tell me what the reactants are?
12:17So, if you move your head even slightly, the vertigo gets more intense?
12:21Yeah. And the attack's happening maybe twice a week? About that, yeah.
12:29The good news is that you don't have cancer. We actually think it's Meniere's. It's a disease of the
12:35inner ear. The main symptom is acute vertigo episodes, vomiting, tinnitus. It's a pretty neat fit with your presentation.
12:48They were dumping sewage in the water the last time before I got sick. Right. You know that from?
12:57The Suffers Against Sewage app. Okay. Might that be? The causes are unclear. It's post-viral. This often
13:06starts with an ear infection. You know, they're common in surfers. Every surfer I know.
13:10Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. What? This is a chronic condition. I'm afraid there's no cure.
13:18Oh my God. What, my God. Let's go.
13:45The
14:08So, by ending on-site inspections into categories three and four,
14:13no or low-impact pollution events, and doubling down on the more serious Category 1 and 2 incidents,
14:22we think we can turn ourselves into a more effective fighting unit.
14:26Yeah. So, from today, we are ending on-site inspections for Cats three and four.
14:32Any questions?
14:34Well, yeah. A Category 3 incident can be two kilometres of sewage.
14:43We want you to not inspect, to not spend time on these incidents.
14:49Except that, since the water companies have been self-reporting,
14:55they almost always only report Category 3s and 4s.
14:59So, they're not actually reporting serious incidents.
15:01And so, if the water companies are only reporting 3s and 4s,
15:05and we're no longer allowed to investigate...
15:08So, what exactly are we going to be doing?
15:11I've told the government, you get the regulation you pay for,
15:14we no longer have the money to go on inspecting low-grade pollution events.
15:19We need you to shut down these reports as unsubstantiated,
15:23or to silently pass them, and to not report them as pollution incidents.
15:27Yes. Is that clear?
15:33Yeah. Thank you. Thanks, everyone.
15:35You're on with your day?
15:36Yeah.
15:40Oh, just a bit.
15:47Have you had to fuck?
15:49Fucking wanket.
15:50How are you going to get to fucking work?
15:52Fuck nice.
15:55Horseback.
16:03What time did he call you?
16:04Up past 10 last night.
16:08He said he couldn't miss it.
16:20Oh my god, look at it.
16:26Come on, get some shots and we'll call the agency on the way back.
16:42Come on, get some shots and we'll call the agency on the way back.
16:52Or if there was no, go to clubs.
16:53Like, don't we'll callically you.
16:53Or you could miss these.
17:10You could miss them, but look at that.
17:11Here if you hold me, I'll give you a response.
17:11The only way that led him to be one of guys under this place,
17:12and I will destroy you 15 years a month after 6.
17:52Oh, are you driving into work tomorrow?
17:54Oh yeah, obviously. How else would I get in?
17:56Well, can I borrow your car at lunchtime?
18:00What for?
18:02Someone keeps calling up and complaining about the same incident.
18:06It's near the bridge at Hawkrise, so I'm going to go and take a look.
18:11Okay.
18:12A bit of freelance investigation.
18:13A bit of freelance.
18:15And also, it needs to be off the books.
18:17And I need you to promise me not to tell Sophie.
18:21I can't tell Sophie.
18:22You can't tell Sophie?
18:23Obviously, no. I can't tell Sophie anything.
18:31Okay.
18:54Hi. Hi, is that, um, is that Justine? Hi, Justine. Um, it's, it's Hannah from the Environment Agency.
19:02Um, listen, it's about the, um, the pollution event at Hawk Rise. Um, it came through the system at a
19:11duration of 1.34 hours, and I'm here now, and it's still going.
19:19Yeah, yeah, I'm, yeah, I'm here now, yeah. The CSO's still discharging untreated sewage. I mean, there's a section of
19:27the river that is covered over with dried sewage.
19:31I mean, there's, there's dead fish. You can see them from the footpath. I mean, you're going to get more
19:35complaints. You need to sort this.
19:42Can you prepare and cook a simple meal unaided?
19:47Yeah, but not when I'm having an attack. Then I can't do anything. I can't, I can't move.
19:54Can you eat and drink unaided?
19:56Yeah, but, again, not when I'm having an attack. Um, and I've been getting the attacks, well, every few days
20:03for the past six months.
20:05But if, if you're not having one of your attacks, can you eat and drink unaided?
20:09Yeah, but...
20:10Yes or no is fine.
20:12Yes.
20:15Can you dress and undress unaided?
20:20It's the same answer.
20:22Moving on to the mobility section of this assessment. Can you plan and follow a journey unaided?
20:31Yeah, but not when I'm having an attack.
20:33Stand and move for 200 metres.
20:37Not when I'm having an attack.
20:39Well, you know, can you move around, walk for 200 metres?
20:42Of course I can, but not when I'm having an attack.
20:44Okay.
20:45Thank you, Mr Santa.
20:46Your total score for the daily living part of the assessment is zero points.
20:50Your total score for the mobility section is zero points.
20:54When you're not having an attack, you're able to do all the tasks I asked you about.
20:58That's the thing with my condition is that sometimes I can do these things and other times I can't.
21:04And when I can't, I can't.
21:05I can't award you a personal independence payment.
21:08I don't know what to do.
21:09If you need further guidance about how to appeal, you can use the web chat to get some help.
21:15If you cannot access the web chat, you can contact the Benefits Appeal helpline on 0300100.
21:31Hannah.
21:32Oh, shit.
21:32Sorry.
21:32Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.
21:34Do you have a second?
21:36Can I have a word?
21:36Of course.
21:37Yeah?
21:38Okay.
21:38So I've just got off the phone to Justine Wright-Phillips at the water company.
21:42Yeah.
21:43Yeah, she said you called her.
21:45Yeah, I did.
21:48Okay.
21:48She said you called her from the site.
21:51Well, I saw that it had been logged on the system for the fifth time and people kept calling up
21:55complaining and nobody was doing anything about it.
21:57But we don't have the revenue to be investigating Category 3.
22:03It's not for Category 3, Sophie.
22:06The river is dried over with excrement.
22:08You can see it from there.
22:09Yeah, so that's what I wanted to talk to you about.
22:11So Justine says that the dispersal rate in that area is really high.
22:16Is it?
22:16Yeah, she says there's like a strong current and a high dispersal rate.
22:20The overflow pipe has been discharging for over 36 hours and it is still going.
22:24All right.
22:25It's untreated.
22:25That is the water company's responsibility to report to us.
22:29You know this.
22:32Okay?
22:32And Justine says that actually really, because of the high dispersal rate, that it should come down to a Category
22:394.
22:41Be a Category 4?
22:43Yes.
22:43Right.
22:46So no impact on the environment, no action needed?
22:50Yes.
22:52Mm-hmm.
22:56Oh, you want me to change it on the system?
22:57Could you?
22:58Could you?
22:59Yeah?
23:00Okay.
23:01Thanks so much.
23:02That's great.
23:03Lovely.
23:12So you see how well we're doing?
23:14Yeah, of course.
23:14Are you joking?
23:16I'm not joking.
23:17You know SROIC?
23:19No, what's that?
23:21Strategic Review of Incident Charges.
23:23Yeah, it's like what we charge the clients for permits and that.
23:26So we don't have clients, Cheryl.
23:28We're an environment agency.
23:29Okay, yes.
23:30Sorry.
23:30Yes.
23:31We don't have clients.
23:32But Sir James has put the prices up, yeah?
23:35And I'm talking like up, up.
23:37Big time.
23:39Well, he's charging the water companies more.
23:41Yep.
23:43Well, surely they've gone down to the government, like, lobbying them, going, my, JG, and the
23:46charges are taken down.
23:48No.
23:48Not a peep.
23:49Not a peep.
23:51Sorry.
23:51They're just paying it.
23:53We've basically had such a high revenue spike, yeah, that we are on our way to becoming
24:01a client-funded regulator.
24:04Sorry, hold on one minute.
24:05This is going a bit...
24:06So you're saying that the water companies are funding the Environment Agency.
24:12Wow.
24:13That's what you're...
24:14What's happening?
24:15You see the issues there.
24:16You can't be serious.
24:17A client-funded regulator.
24:22Amazing, isn't it?
24:22How can that even be a thing?
24:25It's a thing.
24:26Well, hold on, because literally, the other day, Sir James said that you get the regulation
24:31that you pay for.
24:32Yeah.
24:32That we haven't got the money to do the investigations that we used to do.
24:37Nobody's paying for them.
24:38Okay.
24:38That's your area, isn't it?
24:40I mean, all I know is that we have got more cash than we've ever had before.
24:47Just making conversation.
24:51I've got the job.
24:53Postman?
24:54Mm-hmm.
24:54No?
24:54Yeah.
24:55Did you?
24:55Yeah.
24:56Oh, good fun.
24:57Yeah, really good timing.
25:00Uh-huh.
25:01Because I did two pregnancy tests this morning.
25:06What?
25:06And, yeah, I'm pregnant.
25:08What?
25:09Yeah, pregnant.
25:10No.
25:11Yeah.
25:12Yeah.
25:13I sort of just had a funny feeling and then, yeah, did one test, two lines.
25:18And then I did another test and it said two lines and so on.
25:21And I was like, fuck.
25:25Oh, oh, oh, oh.
25:33I'm Susan Davey.
25:35I am the CEO of Southwest Water.
25:37Basically, the wet weather events.
25:39Overflow.
25:40Put a strain on our Victorian networks.
25:42Is it Victorian sewage?
25:43And, unfortunately, we have a Victorian sewage system,
25:47which we have inherited.
25:49And that means things do go wrong.
25:51Did you say Victorian sewage network?
25:5312%.
25:5412?
25:5512%?
25:56What's 12%?
25:5712% of the sewage system is Victorian.
26:01What do they tell you?
26:02That the whole of the system was Victorian,
26:05so that meant that the investment would be so high
26:08that it'd be impossible to actually fix it all.
26:11Bollocks.
26:12Shall I tell you what stopped it?
26:15When privatisation came in,
26:16they just stopped spending.
26:17After the war, they kept upgrading.
26:19Then after privatisation came in,
26:22they just stopped.
26:23Not just Thames,
26:25all of them.
26:266% new plant since privatisation.
26:296%?
26:306%.
26:31Is that all?
26:31You know, it'd be good
26:32if we could maybe come and visit one of the works.
26:35I don't know about that.
26:36Well, I'll have to see,
26:38lads, honestly,
26:38because even just doing this,
26:40I feel a bit nervous.
26:42Fucking London Stadium.
26:43That's not a proper stadium.
26:44Fucking massive.
26:46Upton Park.
26:46Now, that was a proper stadium, mate.
26:48London Stadium's too big.
26:49You need fucking binoculars.
26:50Do you know what I mean?
26:51Yeah.
26:52Sorry, Pete,
26:52did you want to see an EDM?
26:54Oh, yes.
26:54Yes, that's right.
26:55Well remembered.
26:56So this is an event duration monitor.
26:59Now, we fitted one of these
27:01on every sewage pipe in England.
27:03In 2012,
27:05the coalition government
27:06they ordered all the water companies
27:07to record how much time they spend
27:10dumping raw sewage.
27:12These little units,
27:13they measure how much poo
27:14goes into the river by hours.
27:16Management have been dragging their feet
27:18for eight years now.
27:19But we're finally getting most of it in now.
27:22And the agency,
27:23they've published the numbers.
27:25They have to by law.
27:26They're not going to like it,
27:27but tough shit.
27:30EDMs.
27:32Yes.
27:34So, we are finalizing plans
27:38for the statutory publication
27:40of the EDM numbers.
27:44As you know,
27:45there have been some technical delays,
27:48but it looks like they're almost ready.
27:50And they're going to come as a bit of a shock.
27:56The data's going to show
27:59that the water companies
28:00discharged raw sewage
28:03400,000 times in 2020.
28:06That's 1,100 times a day
28:10for a total of
28:123.1 million hours.
28:17That's a bit of a shocker.
28:18Can I just say that
28:20since operator self-monitoring,
28:23we've had to rely on the water companies
28:25to report back to us.
28:27I think that the key here
28:29is that this doesn't get framed
28:30as a failure of regulation.
28:32That is,
28:33that is,
28:34that would be quite wrong.
28:35And I think managing comms on this
28:37is going to be key.
28:38And we are working actively
28:41with the water companies
28:42to,
28:43to,
28:43to bear down
28:45on the problem.
28:46Yeah.
28:46And,
28:47But that's 1,100 criminal offences
28:49a day.
28:50Well, that's actually,
28:51that's debatable
28:52because that depends
28:53on the terms of the permit
28:54and the circumstances
28:56around each spill.
28:57Yeah.
28:57And we know the legislation
29:00permits discharging
29:01after heavy rainfall
29:01and so.
29:02No,
29:02no,
29:03it doesn't.
29:04Sorry,
29:04Hannah.
29:05The law doesn't say
29:06that you can just dump sewage
29:07after heavy rain.
29:09It says that in all normal,
29:11climatic and seasonal circumstances,
29:13the water companies
29:14have to treat the sewage,
29:16not just dump it.
29:17But it's not the agency's job
29:18to adjudicate legal matters.
29:20I mean,
29:21this is actually a matter
29:22for the courts.
29:23No,
29:23no,
29:23no.
29:23This is our job.
29:25It's our job
29:26to enforce the law.
29:28Yeah.
29:29That's what we're here to do.
29:35Can you,
29:36you,
29:37did you want to?
29:37No,
29:38no,
29:38you finish off here,
29:39Sophie.
29:43So we've identified the problem
29:44and now we work on the problem,
29:45which is reframing
29:46and owning the narrative.
29:48Yeah,
29:48we don't want this
29:49to get misconstrued
29:50as some sort of failure
29:51on our part
29:51because it just isn't.
29:52Thanks.
29:52That's really nice.
29:53Yeah.
29:53Thanks.
29:53Thanks so much.
29:54Thanks.
29:56Cool.
29:57Lovely.
29:57Thanks, guys.
29:58Thanks so much.
29:59By the way,
30:02so,
30:03I've heard you're going
30:04to give evidence
30:04in Parliament.
30:05Yes.
30:06Yes.
30:06Amazing.
30:07Yeah,
30:07I think you're bad.
30:09What does that mean,
30:10thinking about it?
30:11He's,
30:11he's nervous.
30:13No,
30:13I'm not nervous.
30:14He's nervous.
30:15No,
30:15it's not that I'm nervous.
30:16I want to do it.
30:17It's just,
30:18it's difficult.
30:19Pete.
30:19Don't,
30:19don't worry about it.
30:20I'll do.
30:21Yeah.
30:21We're counting on you.
30:22We are really counting on you.
30:23And you can explain it
30:24in a scientific way.
30:25You're going to come across brilliantly.
30:26They're going to believe you, mate.
30:28Well,
30:28it,
30:30it's not really as simple as that.
30:31I mean,
30:32the boys from Ogden
30:32called me earlier,
30:33right?
30:34Yeah.
30:34They told me that they dumped
30:35two billion litres of sewage
30:37in the Thames
30:38over two days.
30:40Environment agency
30:40haven't got a Scooby.
30:42Did they send you the data?
30:43I've got the data,
30:44yeah.
30:44All right.
30:44Can you send that to us?
30:45I will send it to you.
30:46We're not going to let you down.
30:48It makes sense.
30:48Please,
30:49you can do this.
30:50Come on,
30:50Pete.
30:51That's all right,
30:52no.
30:52You're a legend,
30:52mate.
30:53Come on.
31:00Come on.
31:03We now have the lowest number
31:06of serious pollution incidents
31:08from water companies
31:09that we have yet recorded.
31:11More water companies
31:13are now at the highest level
31:15of performance,
31:16what we call
31:17four-star performance.
31:19I mean,
31:20we now have the lowest number
31:21of serious pollution incidents
31:23from water companies
31:24that we have yet recorded.
31:54I'm an environment officer
31:55at the agency.
31:56I investigate sewage pollution.
32:01When I first joined,
32:04it wasn't a job
32:05to get rich on.
32:07I could see
32:08I was making a difference.
32:12Corporations want to make money.
32:14We make sure
32:14that they don't poison
32:15the rivers doing it.
32:16We could investigate,
32:19prosecute,
32:19whatever it took.
32:22But then they told the companies
32:23that they could
32:25regulate themselves.
32:27That's a praise
32:28of self-monistry.
32:29Exactly.
32:31Then came
32:32the Cameron cuts,
32:33then the trust cuts.
32:35They laid off
32:36investigators,
32:38slashed prosecutions.
32:39I mean,
32:39they even took our cars
32:40off of us
32:40so we couldn't
32:41visit pollution sites.
32:42So all these cuts
32:43meant you couldn't
32:44do your job properly?
32:46That's not it.
32:49In 2021,
32:51Sir James
32:51hiked the prices
32:52the water companies
32:53paid for their permits.
32:55It was called
32:56charge-funded regulation.
32:58We get 96 million
33:00from the government.
33:01We are now
33:02pulling in
33:04411 million
33:05from charges.
33:06All these cuts,
33:08they're just a smoke screen.
33:10We're swimming in cash.
33:13I am doing this
33:15because I know
33:15that it is wrong
33:16and it has ruined
33:17my whole working life.
33:23Good luck.
33:36Right.
33:40Fucking hell.
33:42What should we do?
33:43Well, first we read them
33:45and then I think
33:47we should call
33:47some journalists.
33:50The Environment Agency
33:52has refused to comment
33:53on whether agency directors
33:55currently hold shares
33:57in UK water companies.
33:58The agency claimed
34:00it would break
34:01data protection laws
34:02if it disclosed
34:03the information.
34:03Environment Agency chiefs
34:05secretly held
34:06a series of private dinners
34:07with water company bosses
34:08at the Royal Automobile Club
34:10in central London.
34:11Documents released
34:12under the Freedom of Information Act
34:14showed the meetings
34:15were held
34:16to discuss
34:17how to quell
34:17public anger
34:18over sewage space.
34:19As the sewage scandal
34:20deepens,
34:21Environment Agency CEO
34:23Sir James Bevan
34:24has been called
34:25to give evidence
34:25to a parliamentary committee.
34:27Well, we need to talk
34:28about what we say
34:29in public
34:29and the responsibilities
34:31we have.
34:33You have a duty
34:34not to openly
34:36criticise
34:36or discredit
34:37the organisation
34:38in the media
34:40or on social
34:42media
34:42or to disclose
34:44confidential information
34:46to anyone
34:47not authorised
34:48to receive it.
34:51If your comments
34:52inside or outside work
34:53impact on the agency's
34:55reputation
34:55by making derogatory comments
34:57about the organisation
34:58or your managers
35:00or you make comments
35:01that bring the organisation
35:03into disrepute,
35:04you may be subject
35:05to disciplinary action
35:08and in more serious cases
35:11dismissal.
35:28I don't think I want to do this.
35:30You'll be fine.
35:32Need the toilet?
35:34I'm alright.
35:35I need a bloody toilet.
35:37Do you want a pie?
35:39What does that mean?
35:43Well, my garden
35:45is an island
35:47which the Windrush
35:49wraps around.
35:52I've watched it closely
35:53for 18 years
35:55and I watched
35:56the water turn brown.
35:58I led a team
35:59of scientists
36:00using a machine
36:02learning analysis
36:03of two
36:04sewage treatment works
36:05run by
36:06Tent Walter.
36:07One of those works,
36:09the Environment Agency
36:10said
36:11over 10 years
36:12only two
36:14pollution incidents
36:15have been reported.
36:17Our
36:17machine learning
36:18analysis
36:21showed
36:22hundreds
36:22of illegal spills.
36:26More than
36:26300
36:27lasted
36:2724 hours
36:29and some
36:30longer
36:32than 10 days
36:33and some
36:35for a month.
36:37Have you shown
36:37this evidence
36:38to the Environment Agency?
36:40Well, yeah,
36:40I've shown the evidence
36:42many times.
36:44What usually happens
36:45is that they
36:47say that
36:48they show a sign
36:49of interest
36:50but then
36:50nothing happens.
36:54We work
36:55very closely
36:56with Professor
36:57Hammond
36:58of Windrush
36:59against sewage
37:00pollution.
37:01We have a
37:02regular
37:03and very fruitful
37:04dialogue with him.
37:05You've worked
37:06closely with
37:07Professor Hammond.
37:09He and
37:10Ashley Smith
37:11sent you
37:12at least
37:1213 emails
37:14detailing evidence
37:15of illegal
37:16sewage dumping.
37:17He published
37:18five evidence
37:19reports
37:20documenting
37:21water company
37:22criminality,
37:23all of which
37:23were sent to
37:24you or your
37:25senior colleagues.
37:26they invited you
37:27to come
37:28and look
37:29at the river
37:29in 2019
37:31and the
37:32following year
37:33sent you
37:34an email
37:34with the
37:35heading
37:35Environment
37:37Agency
37:37Complicit
37:38in Lawbreaking.
37:44They never
37:45heard back.
37:46You never
37:47once replied
37:48in five
37:49years.
37:51How did
37:52you manage
37:52to work
37:53so closely
37:53with Professor
37:54Hammond
37:54when you
37:54never once
37:55spoke to him?
37:55At the
37:56Thames Water
37:57Mogden
37:58Treatment
37:59Works
37:59there was
38:00a spill
38:01of 240
38:04Olympic
38:05swimming pools
38:06of sewage
38:06in a single
38:07day.
38:08The existing
38:08monitoring
38:09failed to
38:10pick that
38:10up.
38:11Now why
38:12was that?
38:13There will
38:13always be
38:14times when
38:15something
38:16happens.
38:17Usually
38:17accidentally.
38:19But if we
38:20find that
38:21a water
38:21company has
38:22breached
38:22its permit
38:24we will
38:25take appropriate
38:25action.
38:26Does
38:26appropriate
38:27action include
38:28prosecuting
38:29water company
38:30executives?
38:30Prosecution
38:31is a very
38:31high bar
38:32but where
38:35we think
38:35that's
38:36appropriate
38:36we wouldn't
38:37hesitate.
38:38Did you
38:39prosecute
38:39in this
38:40case?
38:40No.
38:42Have you
38:42ever
38:42prosecuted
38:43any
38:44water
38:44company
38:45executives?
38:45No but
38:47if we
38:48thought the
38:48evidence
38:49warranted it
38:50we wouldn't
38:50hesitate.
38:52Last year
38:53you told
38:54this committee
38:54that you
38:55became aware
38:55of sewage
38:56dumping
38:56in May
38:572021.
38:58Yes.
38:59But three
39:00weeks after
39:00that you
39:01told the
39:01committee
39:02that the
39:02water
39:02companies
39:03were
39:03improving
39:03and that
39:04more of
39:04them were
39:05getting
39:05four out
39:06of four
39:07stars.
39:08Why
39:09were you
39:09telling
39:09the
39:10committee
39:10that
39:10the
39:11water
39:11companies
39:11were
39:11doing
39:12a
39:12four
39:12star
39:12job?
39:15Well
39:15you've
39:17quoted
39:18everything I
39:19said.
39:20I think
39:20I stand
39:21by everything
39:22I said.
39:23I think
39:24you'll find
39:25them mutually
39:26consistent.
39:28The agency's
39:29job is to
39:30make sure
39:31the water
39:32companies
39:32obey the
39:33criminal law
39:34war, but
39:34it doesn't
39:35do it
39:35and the
39:35water
39:35companies
39:36do whatever
39:36they want.
39:37The
39:38alleged
39:38crimes
39:39of their
39:40directors
39:40are never
39:42prosecuted.
39:43They've
39:44built criminality
39:45into their
39:46business models
39:47because pollution
39:47is highly
39:48profitable and
39:49repeat
39:50offending
39:50has no
39:51consequences.
39:52Therefore,
39:54in the light
39:55of the remarkable
39:55absence of any
39:57counter-corruption
39:58measures, we
39:58demand an
39:59investigation
40:00into the
40:01Environment
40:04agency.
40:05The key
40:05test for me
40:06on regulation
40:07less regulation
40:08is it something
40:09that enables
40:09the builders,
40:10not the
40:11blockers?
40:11Cut guidance
40:12by 80%.
40:13We've also
40:14got to look
40:14at regulation.
40:15Regulations
40:16will go and
40:17where it is
40:17needlessly holding
40:18back the
40:19investment.
40:19Reduce the
40:20amount and
40:21the burden
40:21of regulation.
40:22Rip up the
40:23bureaucracy
40:23that blocks
40:24investment.
40:25Northumbria
40:25and water
40:25recorded 30.1
40:27spills per
40:27overflow over
40:28the course
40:28of 2023.
40:31280,000
40:32hours and
40:34change in
40:34total.
40:35The chief
40:36executive,
40:37Heidi Mottram,
40:38received a
40:38bonus of
40:38£234,000
40:40that year.
40:43Why did
40:44you take
40:44football tickets
40:45from the
40:46parent company?
40:47Well, I
40:48didn't.
40:49OK.
40:50C.K.
40:50Hutchins
40:51Holdings
40:51owns 75%
40:52of Chung
40:53Kong
40:53Infrastructure
40:54Holdings,
40:54the owner
40:55of Northumbria
40:55and Water,
40:56and you
40:56declared £2,000
40:57in football
40:58tickets and
40:59hospitality.
41:00On that
41:00occasion,
41:01there was
41:02nobody from
41:03a water
41:03company that
41:03was involved
41:04in offering
41:05those tickets.
41:06There was
41:06nobody from
41:06a water
41:06company at
41:07that event.
41:08I wouldn't
41:09have known
41:09that.
41:10Why didn't
41:10you know?
41:10You should
41:11have known
41:11that.
41:11You said
41:12that these
41:12sort of
41:12people should
41:13potentially be
41:14in the
41:14dock if
41:15they have
41:16been found
41:16to break
41:16the rules.
41:17You took
41:18£2,000 in
41:19tickets and
41:19hospitality for
41:20a football
41:21match from
41:21bosses linked
41:22to that
41:22company that
41:23polluted that
41:24water.
41:24Why should
41:25people in
41:25Northumbria
41:26think that
41:27you're fit for
41:28your job?
41:28You certainly
41:28wouldn't have
41:28known that and
41:29judge me by
41:29what I did.
41:29Why not?
41:30Judge me by
41:30what I did.
41:31That is what
41:32you did.
41:45Environment
41:45Minister Steve
41:46Reid is
41:47pursuing legal
41:47action against
41:48a group of
41:49anglers trying
41:50to restore the
41:51ecosystem of
41:52their local
41:52river on the
41:53grounds that
41:54cleaning up
41:55individual rivers
41:56is administratively
41:58unworkable.
41:59Concerns have been
42:00raised about the
42:01number of leading
42:01labour figures with
42:02links to lobbying
42:03firms working for
42:04water companies.
42:05Among the
42:05invited guests at
42:07the government's
42:07international
42:08investment summit
42:09was Macquarie Bank.
42:10Described as the
42:12vampire kangaroo by
42:13critics, Macquarie
42:15presided over the
42:16near collapse of
42:16Thames water,
42:17leaving it £10
42:18billion in debt
42:19after having illegally
42:20dumped billions of
42:22litres of raw
42:23sewage.
42:40Reuben?
42:48I know I can't be
42:49left alone with her.
42:54privatised water is a
42:56better deal than
42:57nationalised water.
42:59That the water
43:00privatisation, I
43:01believe, will go
43:02very successfully
43:03indeed.
43:04That will go very
43:05successfully indeed.
43:07And perhaps therefore
43:08we have better wait
43:09and see so that we
43:10can contemplate in the
43:11light of the fact.
43:13How does it come to
43:14this?
43:16How did it happen
43:19that England is the
43:21only place in the
43:23whole world whose
43:25water system is wholly
43:28privatised?
43:29That our seas and our
43:31rivers are full of
43:33shite?
43:35I just feel like we're
43:37trying to bring down
43:38England's biggest
43:40organised crime
43:41syndicate.
43:43I mean, they're not
43:44the mafia, these
43:46water companies.
43:47They're not a drugs
43:48cartel, but they do
43:49dump sewage a
43:51thousand times a
43:53day.
43:53And almost all of
43:54those are illegal.
43:56And the cash,
43:58they've accumulated
44:01£145 billion
44:02since privatisation.
44:04And they've got that
44:05because they seem to
44:06have built criminality
44:08into their business
44:09models.
44:11So they are like an
44:13organised crime
44:14syndicate.
44:16And the CEOs and
44:18the owners are like
44:20crime bosses.
44:21I mean, they don't
44:22murder people,
44:23obviously.
44:24They're not assassins.
44:28But me and Peter are
44:29sitting here waiting
44:30for these crime
44:32lords to put things
44:33right.
44:36and if we leave
44:38them to their own
44:39devices, they never
44:41will.
44:43They never will.
44:45We've put the things
44:47that we own and care
44:49about together, we've
44:52put them into the hands
44:53of financial speculators
44:54whose job it is, is
44:56just to make money.
44:58we need to put the
44:59people who care
45:01in charge.
Comments