Government criticised for leaving overall water quality out of its environment targets

Ministers accused of only doing half their job and leaving gaps in protections

Overall water quality and protected sites were among missing targets (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The government's new legally-binding environment targets have "gaps" that need closing, campaigners have warned.

Environmentalists welcomed the publication of Thérèse Coffey's 13 new targets on Friday but said they were concerned that important areas like overall water quality had been left out.

The government was meant to publish the slate of targets under the Environment Act earlier this autumn, but delays in bringing them forward left it in breach of the law.