I'm grateful to the Member for Blaenau Gwent for bringing forward this Member's legislative proposal, as I myself had an incredibly similar MLP on improving inland water qualities here in Wales. And it's reassuring to know that, while there may be potential disagreement over the semantics and finer points of the policy, it is, in fact, an issue that does generate cross-party support. And as he so eloquently said in opening this debate, it hasn't escaped his attention that there are similarities between his legislative proposal and that of the UK Government's Environment Bill, which sees a duty to ensure water companies secure a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows. I think it's encouraging that, when there is a good idea, regardless of which side of the political divide it comes from, it is acknowledged as such, and I'm sure Members in this Siambr will be aware of the repeated emphasis that no one side has a monopoly on good ideas, and, therefore, I will be voting in favour of this proposal.

I'd like to take the opportunity, like the Member for Ynys Môn, to pay tribute to Surfers Against Sewage for their work in highlighting and combating the discharge of sewage into the sea at beaches across Wales. Many Members may be aware of the targeted e-mails to elected Members when a combined sewer overflow—a CSO—has discharged sewage into a water at a specific location. Surfers Against Sewage have estimated that, between 1 October 2020 and 30 September 2021, 5,517 sewage discharge notifications were issued by water companies warning of sewage pollution impacting designated bathing waters in England and Wales. Of these, 3,328 discharge notifications were issued during the bathing season of 15 May to 30 September. So, based on the widely accepted advice not to swim in sewage-polluted waters for 48 hours following a discharge, this means 16 per cent of swimmable days during the bathing season have been lost due to sewage pollution events.

It would also be remiss of me, as shadow rural affairs Minister, not to mention agriculture and agricultural pollution. It is my belief that for too long the agricultural sector has been unfairly targeted as the sole and lone polluter of our waterways. The industry wants to improve and do better by the environment and by our waterways, but it is not they alone who are responsible for water pollution incidents. So, that's another reason why I lend my support to this proposal, as it aims to reduce the sewage discharges in our waterways, which, I believe, will bring about positive improvements to the quality of water, our environment and to public health. Diolch.