10. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on pollution in Welsh rivers? (OAQ51035)

Thank you. The river basin management plans, published in 2015, include detailed assessments of all Welsh water bodies and measures to improve water quality. There have been a number of significant agricultural pollution incidents in the past year, causing substantial damage, and I’ve made it clear these incidents are unacceptable.

I agree that they are unacceptable and there have been between 70 and 118 incidents of slurry pollution entering Welsh rivers annually, which makes it more than one a week. And I do appreciate that most farmers will comply with the law, but the stats suggest that some are clearly falling outside of that. A recent investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has suggested that some farms do see the fines that they incur as a result of polluting as part of the running cost of their business. If there’s any truth whatsoever in that, then those fines are clearly not working as a deterrent. And the other thing that was found through that study was that there was a persistent problem within some farms in Carmarthenshire. So, Cabinet Secretary, what I want to ask is: what action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that the non-compliance by reoffending farms is thoroughly investigated? And I do understand quite clearly that it is Natural Resources Wales who will do that. And the other thing that was found by that investigative journalism is that some of the NRW staff are being threatened and not welcomed—in fact, quite the opposite—when doing their jobs on those farms.

Thank you, and as you pointed out, Joyce Watson, whilst I said there have been a number of significant agricultural pollution incidents, they can be attributed to a very small percentage of agricultural holdings. Continual reoffending is not acceptable and fines should, of course, act as a deterrent rather than be seen as a running cost. And I think, in some cases, fines are simply not appropriate, and requiring farmers to remedy the damage that they’ve caused, I think, is often seen as a more acceptable way of limiting reoffending. Such matters are being taken forward by the land management sub-group on diffuse pollution. I’m also seeking views, you’ll be aware, through the sustainable management consultation of our natural resources. I’ve not been made aware of any NRW staff being threatened, but, again, it’s something I’m very happy to raise with NRW at my regular monthly meetings.

I’m very glad that Joyce Watson asked that question because you and I have discussed this issue on a number of occasions. I wonder if, Minister or Cabinet Secretary, you would look at how we might improve the planning application process, in particular for super farms, to ensure that drainage and adequate slurry storage is really taken into account, because when a farm grows from 600 or 700 head of cattle to 2,000 to 2,500, the blight on the neighbouring farms is utterly unbearable. The pollution that runs into gardens, the pollution into rivers, the pollution not just, of course, from contamination of the water courses, but the pollution from the birds that flock to the grain and all the rest of it. And a super farm, if it’s well run, is an extraordinarily wonderful thing to behold. A super farm badly run is utter, utter misery for the people around it, and I really think that the Welsh Government need to toughen up on the planning. It’s a subject I’ve raised with you before and with your colleague next door to you, because I think the time is to act because there are more and more of them happening.

Yes, and certainly in our discussions I’ve made you aware that I’m very happy to look at planning policy to make sure, as you say, they are very well run, because there can be nothing worse than having the sort of pollution to which you allude.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.