Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many English rivers do not meet the standard of the Water Framework Directive. [76275]

Richard Benyon MP; Minister of State: There are 4,837 individual river water bodies in England. 3,135 of these rivers are 'natural' rivers and 1,702 are modified rivers. The default objective of the Water Framework Directive (subject to certain exemptions) is to aim to achieve good ecological and chemical status for natural rivers and good chemical status and ecological potential for heavily modified rivers by 2015. Where these water bodies are already at “good” or better, the requirement is to ensure there is no deterioration in status.

In 2010 the Environment Agency assessed 4,771 of these river water bodies in England. 1,028 (22%) of these were at either good status/potential or better. 3,743 (78%) of English river water bodies were failing to meet good ecological status.

Actions agreed in River Basin Management Plans will reduce the number of failing rivers by 5% by 2015. The additional £92 million funding provided by DEFRA from 2011-15 to tackle failing rivers will further stretch this ambition.

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effects of abstraction and pollution on English rivers; and if she will make a statement. [76276]

Richard Benyon: In 2010, 22% of English river water bodies were assessed to be at good ecological status or good ecological potential. Ecological quality may be impacted by multiple environmental pressures, including changes to land use, river channel modifications, chemical quality, and alterations to flow. Obstructions can impact on the connectivity of rivers, which can affect the suitability of river habitats for different species, or may present a barrier to fish migration. Natural or man-made barriers impacting on fish migration are a contributing pressure in about 6% of English river water bodies failing good ecological status. Other factors affecting the connectivity, form and function of rivers are a contributing pressure in about 21% of rivers failing good ecological status. The main polluting pressures include nutrients, in about 46%, and organic (sanitary) pollutants in about 21%.