Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve cross-border cooperation on farming pollution regulations between England and Wales.

This Government is committed to building stronger ties and working collaboratively with the Welsh Gov-ernment on shared priorities that deliver for all our citizens including tackling pollution, restoring nature and supporting our farmers.

Effective regulations play an important part of in reducing diffuse agricultural pollution and cleaning up our waters, as well as supporting improvements to farm businesses. Both Governments are working closely with regulators, local farmers and other key partners in England and Wales on these issues, for example by working with local farmers and environmental NGOs, alongside the Wye Nutrient Management Board and the Wye Catchment Partnership who are leading efforts to tackle pollution in the Wye.

Please also see the announcement below for more detail regarding what is being done to tackle pollution in the Wye: UK and Welsh Government unite in £1m fund to transform River Wye - GOV.UK.

In a joint initiative worth up to £1 million, Defra and Welsh Government will fund comprehensive cross-border research on the River Wye, to understand pollution and other pressures (such as wildlife decline, flood risk, high and low flows), and develop plans to tackle these issues in the catchment.

This funding, supported by UK and Welsh Governments, will ensure farmers, environmental campaigners, citizen scientists and other local experts, can help us gather essential evidence about what is causing this iconic river to be so polluted, and chart a course towards improving water quality and restoring nature.