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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of a developer's right to connect to sewers on the volume of sewer overflow discharges.

In August 2021 the Government announced a review of the implementation of Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. If implemented, this schedule makes connection to public sewers conditional of approval that the drainage system meets the national standards. These standards will ensure the most effective drainage system is delivered that will help to alleviate pressures on the sewer network, reduce flood risk, as well as improve water quality, amenity, biodiversity, and harvest rainwater.  We have been working on this review and will confirm the outcomes in due course.

This would apply to England only.