Protecting and Preserving our Environment for Generations to Come

Robert Courts group photo

As a keen conservationist, environmental issues are a priority of mine in Parliament and in West Oxfordshire.  One of the reasons West Oxfordshire is so special is the beautiful countryside which surrounds us and the diverse wildlife that inhabits it.

I am delighted that many of the issues I have campaigned on since entering Parliament are now being addressed by the Government.  These include action on plastics in our oceans, the introduction of CCTV in all slaughterhouses, and tougher punishment for those who commit acts of animal cruelty.  I will continue to work with local environmental groups and the Government to build on this progress.  Keep up to date with my latest work on this issue below.

News

Robert Writes to Thames Water CEO to Demand Answers on Christmas Sewage Spills

Robert said: "I am deeply concerned at reports that Thames Water has been routinely releasing sewage from Witney Sewage Treatment Works over the last couple of weeks when we have not experienced any heavy rainfall. "I have therefore written to the Chief Executive of Thames Water to demand an explan

Robert Welcomes Major Investigation into Illegal Sewage Spills

Robert has welcomed the news that the Environment Agency (EA) and Ofwat have launched a major investigation into sewage treatment works, after new government-imposed checks led to water companies admitting that they could be releasing unpermitted sewage discharges into rivers and watercourses. This

Government Announces New Legal Duty on Water Companies to Reduce Storm Overflows

The Government has announced that a new amendment will be tabled to the Environment Bill, enshrining in law a duty on water companies to secure a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows. The new amendment will further strengthen the Environment Bill, which al

Robert Appears on BBC Radio Oxford to Demand Action From Thames Water

Robert joined BBC Radio Oxford this morning to discuss the CEO of Thames Water's recent appearance before Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee. Speaking afterwards, Robert said: "What we heard from Thames Water yesterday was a lot of warm words but what the people of West Oxfordshire wan

Robert Welcomes New Riverbank Tree Planting Project to Improve Water Quality

Robert has warmly welcomed the announcement by the Government that over 3,000 hectares of new woodlands are set to be planted along England’s rivers and watercourses with backing from the country’s leading environmental organisations. Planting trees on and around riverbanks, or allowing them to gro

Robert Welcomes Funding Boost for Farmers to Tackle River Pollution

Robert has warmly welcomed the news that farmers will be given additional support to take action to reduce water and air pollution from their land. Over the last 15 years, the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) programme has been one of the main ways to help farmers tackle pollution which results fr