Committee publication · Correspondence · 6 January 2026

Correspondence from Philip Duffy, Chief Executive, Environment Agency, following on from the evidence session on 28 October, dated 15 December 2025

From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Inquiry: Work of the Department and its arm’s-length bodies

Summary

Philip Duffy, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, responds to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee's questions following an October 2025 evidence session. The letter addresses inspection standards for water industry sites and farms, sewage overflow detection methods, the Camber Sands pollution investigation, corporate risk governance, and a fruitless payment review from 2023–24.

Key findings

Environment Agency expects to reach 10,000 water industry inspections by March 2026; approximately 25% of sites are non-compliant, with too many category 1 and 2 breaches remaining unacceptable.
Over 4,000 farm inspections conducted annually since 2022; 12,500 completed between April 2022 and March 2025 from 34,000 identified medium-to-long-term targets. Recent data shows improved farmer compliance with remedial actions.
New dry-day spill detection process introduced 1 January 2025 using monthly Event Duration Monitoring data; Environment Agency defines dry day as any 24-hour period with rainfall below 0.25 mm.
Camber Sands pollution event under live investigation with criminal prosecution being considered; partnership with Sussex Resilience Forum managing beach clean-up and bio-bead removal.
Independent lessons-learned review completed on 2023–24 fruitless payment; process improvements implemented across governance, supplier management, reporting, and value delivery.

Tone

Factual

Topics

water-qualityenvironmental-enforcementagriculture-regulationpollutionpublic-accountability

Key actors

Philip Duffy, Environment Agency, Alistair Carmichael MP, Office for Environmental Protection, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Southern Water, Sussex Resilience Forum

Notable line

“These levels remain unacceptable. The Environment Agency is taking action to bring water companies back into compliance.”

Key Quotes

“… approximately 25% of sites are non-compliant. Whilst the majority of breaches are minor, there are too many significant breaches.”
— Philip Duffy · On water industry inspection findings

“These levels remain unacceptable. The Environment Agency is taking action to bring water companies back into compliance.”
— Philip Duffy · On category 1 and 2 breaches at water company sites

“Between April 2022 and March 2025, the Environment Agency completed 12,500 inspections at these farms.”
— Philip Duffy · On farm inspection completion rates

“The Environment Agency defines a dry day as any 24-hour period from midnight to midnight with rainfall below 0.25 mm.”
— Philip Duffy · On sewage overflow detection methodology

“This is a concerning pollution event. The Environment Agency has launched a live investigation and is considering the full range of sanctions, including criminal prosecution.”
— Philip Duffy · On Camber Sands pollution incident

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗