Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:08 pm on 15 November 2022.
Mark Drakeford
Labour
2:08,
15 November 2022
Well, I certainly don't think that allowing greater pollution of rivers in Powys would be something that would be supported by the Member's constituents, and let us be very clear that when he says 'lifting the phosphate regulations', that is exactly what he means—it is exactly what he means—he cannot mean anything else. If you allow housing developments to take place knowing—knowing—that that will lead to greater pollution of watercourses and rivers, then that will be the impact of doing what the Member proposes.
Now, fortunately, most people who work in this area, including organisations in Powys, have a more constructive attitude to solving the dilemma that we face. Of course we need to be able to build houses in Powys and other parts of Wales; that means we have to find a sustainable solution that building those houses does not have guaranteed into them additional pollution impact on rivers that are already—already—over-polluted. A series of contributions will be needed to that: there will be a need for a contribution from the regulator; there will be a need for a contribution of Dŵr Cymru; there will be in need for a contribution from farming interests; and there will be a need for a contribution from housing developers who have techniques that they can use and are willing to use that would mean that, when you build new houses, it does not lead—
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