I met with Minster Emma Hardy on a Yorkshire chalk stream earlier in June to discuss what this government might do to help chalk streams. The meeting was mentioned in parliament as excerpted below and I have also received a letter from the Minister setting out the government’s ambition for chalk streams, also below.

I’m obviously as disappointed as anyone that government has dropped the Defra chalk stream recovery pack. I’m still not sure why it has chosen to when the fate of our fragile and unique chalk streams is so obviously important to such a broad range of people and to so many people … including Sir David Attenborough.

Encouragingly, however, Minister Hardy has written “chalk streams will continue to be fundamental to our mission to reform the water system”.

The proof of the pudding, as they say …

I have heard good things about what may in the pipeline (following the Cunliffe and Corry reviews) in terms of revitalised and empowered catchment management, and the easing of the treacle-wading bureaucracy that is a sheet anchor to river restoration efforts. Both much needed. So, it may well be – fingers very crossed – that the progress we make through this term will move things forward for chalk streams.

Nevertheless, the CaBA chalk group continues to feel that the gist of its recommendations – greater protection for chalk streams, prioritised abstraction reduction and phosphate reduction targeted to where it will most benefit ecology (not some obtuse economic algorithm) are all very much in the gift of Defra and Ofwat, and are total no-brainers if we want to restore our chalk streams and deliver on the collegiate, universally supported work of the past 5-years.

Dear Minister Hardy, can we have both?

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Hardy): Chalk streams are not only a beautiful and iconic part of our precious natural landscape; they are symbols of our national heritage. The protection and restoration of our cherished chalk streams is a core ambition in our overall programme of reform to the water sector.

Luke Murphy: I am grateful to the Minister for her response. In Hampshire, we are blessed with several rare and irreplaceable chalk streams, including the River Loddon, the River Itchen and the River Test. The Minister will be aware of the campaigns to secure greater protection for these irreplaceable habitats, including during the passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and I pay tribute to the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Greener Basingstoke, and Natural Basingstoke for all their work. Can the Minister confirm that this Government are committed to the protection of chalk streams, and set out what further steps they will take to restore these precious habitats?

Emma Hardy: My hon. Friend is quite right: chalk streams are a source of beauty and national pride. Just a few weeks ago, I had the privilege of visiting a chalk stream restoration project with Charles Rangeley-Wilson, who is a passionate campaigner for chalk streams. Under this Labour Government, water companies will spend more than £2 billion to deliver over 1,000 actions for chalk stream restoration, and will reduce their abstraction from chalk streams by 126 million litres per day.

Mr Gagan Mohindra (South West Hertfordshire) (Con): The River Chess in Rickmansworth is one of the chalk streams that goes through my constituency. The volunteers at the Rickmansworth Waterways Trust are keeping our canal heritage alive, despite funding for the Canal & River Trust being cut. I believe the cut is short-sighted, because these waterways tackle water shortages, boost biodiversity and protect 2,500 miles of national assets for a modest cost. Will the Minister rethink the funding cuts and back the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign, so that local champions like David Montague and his team at Batchworth lock are not left to sink or swim on their own?

Emma Hardy: The hon. Gentleman is quite right to say how important volunteers are in supporting our natural environment up and down the country. He will be aware that the decision to reduce the funding for the Canal & River Trust was taken by the previous Government, and that was extended under this Government. There will be a tapering off of some of the funding, but we continue to support water projects up and down the country. As I have already mentioned, the changes that we are introducing for water companies will help to protect not only our beautiful chalk streams, but all our rivers, lakes and seas.