Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 1:39 pm on 3 February 2021.
Thank you, Minister. But, I have to say, it's quite insulting to all our farmers to say that the voluntary scheme hasn't worked. Now, the First Minister is also out of touch, because he responded yesterday, stating,
'we've seen no diminution in the rate of agricultural pollution'.
Clearly, then, he's not even read your statement, in which you fully acknowledge that there has been progress. In fact, NRW has spoken of a steady decline in pollution incidents. The risk is reducing. Yet, regulation 4 shows you don't believe that farmers are capable of knowing how much nitrogen to apply to their holding, and regulation 15 shows you don't believe farmers are capable of using appropriate equipment. Numerous regulations, including 34 to 37, 40 to 43, show that you want to see our farmers now bogged down in paperwork. Regulation 29 sees you demanding that farmers provide storage for all slurry produced in the five to six-month storage period. You claim that those measures are proportionate, yet NRW have published a map showing that huge swathes of Wales have had zero agricultural incidents to water since 2010. So, therefore, Minister, please explain to me, and all our farmers, how can it be even considered proportionate to so severely limit the farmers' freedom to farm, and, also, have you yourself checked whether the regulations are in breach of the code of practice for regulators and, indeed, the principle of proportionality?