During the last Prime Minister's Questions (March 29), Herefordshire North MP, Sir Bill Wiggan raised concerns over phosphates leaching into the River Wye, calling for action to protect the vital waterway.

Sir Bill argued for the potential benefits of phosphate-stripping technology attached to anaerobic digesters, as a solution for addressing the issue. However, he pointed out that Herefordshire Council's Green and Independent group has not been supportive of or engaged with this solution, despite a moratorium on house building in the area.

The Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged the importance of the River Wye and its significance for nature, stressing that the government is taking action to tackle pollution and raise farming standards. He cited the Environment Agency's farm inspection capacity and the catchment sensitive farming advice programme as examples of current initiatives.

While the Deputy Prime Minister deferred to Sir Bill Wiggan's technical expertise, he encouraged Wiggan to continue raising his concerns and providing input to the local authority.