New measures to protect water resources, together with new powers to direct water companies to work together to meet current and future demand for water, form part of a New Environment Bill included in the Queen’s Speech published yesterday.

The Government will introduce what it describes as a “landmark Bill to Parliament to tackle the biggest environmental priorities of our time,” signalling “a historic step change” in the way the natural environment is protected and enhanced.

The transformative Environment Bill will help ensure that the UK both maintains and improves environmental protections as it leaves the EU, the Government said.

Other new measures which will be introduced and enshrined in law to improve air quality, tackle plastic pollution and restore habitats so plants and wildlife can thrive.

The legislation will create, legally-binding environmental improvement targets. A new independent Office for Environmental Protection will be established to scrutinise environmental policy and law, investigate complaints and take enforcement action against public authorities, if necessary, to uphold environmental standards.

The office’s powers will cover all climate change legislation and hold the government to account on its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

The Bill also places the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan on a statutory footing and goes beyond the government commitments outlined earlier this year by confirming powers to enhance nature and habitats and combat the effects of plastics on the natural environment.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs said the Bill would ensure the environment is at the heart of all government policy making and that this government and future governments are held to account if they fail to uphold their environmental duties, including meeting net-zero by 2050, and wider long-term legally binding targets on biodiversity, air quality, water, and resource and waste efficiency established under the Bill.

Defra said the new measures will protect water resources by increasing sustainable water management through securing long-term, resilient water and wastewater services in the face of a changing climate. Powers to direct water companies to work together to meet current and future demand for water would also make planning more robust.

While the Bill applies only to England, more than half of its measures - such as those designed to drive up recycling rates - are designed to apply across the UK, with the consent of devolved administrations, to helping the nation deal with the major environmental challenges it faces.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said:

“Our natural environment is a vital shared resource and the need to act to secure it for generations to come is clear.”

“That’s why our landmark Environment Bill leads a green transformation that will help our country to thrive. It positions the UK as a world leader on improving air quality, environmental biodiversity, a more circular economy, and managing our precious water resources in a changing climate.”

“Crucially, it also ensures that after Brexit, environmental ambition and accountability are placed more clearly than ever before at the heart of government, both now and in the future.”

In response to the publication of the Environment Bill a spokesperson for Water UK, the body which represents all of the UK water companies, said:

“It’s good to see that the Environment Bill focuses on many issues the water industry has been calling for action on, like a commitment to clear, long-term targets and the need to have resilient water supplies and drainage.

“Water companies are passionate about playing a positive role in protecting our natural world, as shown in the industry’s Public Interest Commitment which by 2030 will prevent the equivalent of 4 billion plastic bottles ending up as waste, and see the industry have net-zero carbon emissions.

“In the face of climate change and population growth, business as usual is not an option. We all need to take action to protect the nation’s water supplies, ensuring the best possible service for customers while protecting our environment. We look forward to working with the government to achieve this.”