Everyone living near our beautiful coastline knows just how important a subject is the water quality. This is not only because many of us enjoy our local rivers and beaches recreationally, but because our blue vista is also a key driver of tourism, bringing people many miles to spend time here.

That is why the inaction of water companies like South West Water is particularly galling. Over recent years, they’ve made substantial sums of money from environmental vandalism – spilling hundreds of thousands of hours of raw sewage directly into our rivers and seas.

Thanks to the pressure of local communities and activists, a spotlight has been shone on the situation. I have affection for the creative genius that comes to the fore in a good English protest. Placards seen in Exmouth recently included: “Women Swimmin”; “No River Exe Crement”; “Species not Faeces” and my personal favourite “End Sewage Poollution”.

We see ever more reports of sewage spills at our beaches, all while Conservative ministers and MPs line up to pass the buck to water companies. We have to ask the question: where are the regulators amidst this mess? And behind them, where is the Government?

Hundreds of permits that allow water companies to dump sewage into Britain’s rivers have not been updated since the 1950s. Monitoring and reporting on sewage discharges is done ‘in-house’ by the water firms – with them holding sole responsibility to collect the data on the number and duration of spills, and for reporting too. This is a perverse situation that allows them to mark their own homework.

That’s why in January I tabled a Bill in Parliament to hand over this responsibility to the environmental regulator. I was pleased when the Environment Secretary announced he would be making this change not long afterwards, but just a few days ago it emerged that despite the announcement, there was no timeline for the change.

Next Monday I will be hosting an event in the fringes of the House of Commons on this very subject. My guests are the End Sewage Pollution Coalition, which includes the Rivers Trust, British Canoeing, the Angling Trust, River Action, Swim England, Surfers Against Sewage and the Women’s Institute.

I am also looking forward to hosting Jo Bateman, the Devon-based swimmer who is taking legal action against South West Water for dumping sewage into the sea near her home. We’ve invited the Conservative Government’s Minister for Water. Let’s hope he attends!