Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for bathing water status (a) have been made, (b) are pending, (c) have been granted and (d) have been rejected since January 2021.

Since January 2021, Defra has received five applications for designated bathing water status. Two of these applications resulted in designations, one did not meet the required criteria as set out in the Bathing Water Regulations 2013, and the remaining two applications did not contain the required supporting evidence, however we expect both applications to be resubmitted at some point this year. We provide feedback and advice to all applicants whose application does not get taken forward.