WG Ministers “economical with the truth” over Withyhedge

THE FIRST MINISTER couldn’t have been clearer.

There was no room for misinterpreting his words.

Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives asked him whether the Welsh Government would take the lead in resolving the ongoing scandal at Withyhedge.

Vaughan Gething tried slipping the question, but finally volunteered: “NRW, as the regulator, need to take the required action. I’m not aware that a single member of the Government has attempted to influence the action of NRW; it is for them to undertake the required action to ensure that improvement is delivered, and that’s the very clear position of the whole Government.”

That was the Welsh Government position at around ten-to-two on Tuesday afternoon, May 14.

The following day, Paul Davies asked a series of questions about Withyhedge.

Answering the Preseli Pembs MS, Huw Irranca-Davies, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Climate Change, said: ““NRW are very clear what our steer is and what our priority is: that the enforcement orders that have been put in place to do the work on the ground and to resolve the problem need to be done for the benefit of local residents.”

On Tuesday, the Welsh Government had not been in touch with NRW about Withyhedge, or at least the First Minister was “not aware” of any such contact.

On Wednesday, NRW not only knew the Welsh Government’s position but had also received “a steer” from it.

The two statements are mutually exclusive.

The answers cannot be reconciled by semantics or wordplay.

Mr Irranca-Davies was being asked directly about Withyhedge. He was not speaking generally about any nebulous influence the Welsh Government might exert. He was not speaking about what he expected NRW to do in all circumstances, including Withyhedge. He referred directly to Withyhedge in each of the answers he gave Paul Davies.

There can be no doubt he meant the Welsh Government had influence over and had influenced NRW’s actions ( or lack thereof) at Withyhedge.

One of the Welsh Cabinet misspoke, at the very least.

You cannot go from no contact on Tuesday to “providing a steer” on Wednesday and understand both to mean the same thing.

We put our questions to the Welsh Government.

We asked if no member of the

Welsh Government attempted to influence NRW’s actions over Withyhedge, how NRW could be clear about its steer.

We asked what contact the Welsh Government has had with NRW regarding Withyhedge, when it took place, and who from the Welsh Government - minister or civil servant - delivered a steer to NRW.

While we get a direct did not answer, a Welsh Government spokesperson confirmed: “The response from the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs speaks for itself, of course we expect NRW to carry out its regulatory functions to resolve these issues.” That doesn’t wash. The context of Mr Irranca-Davies’s could not be clearer.

“From my perspective as the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and

Rural Affairs, NRW are very clear what our steer is and what our priority is: that the enforcement orders that have been put in place to do the work on the ground and to resolve the problem need to be done for the benefit of local residents.”

If he is not speaking specifically about Withyhedge, what is he speaking about?

And it’s noticeable that when he was asked point blank by

Joyce Watson what conversations the Welsh Government was having with NRW and Pembrokeshire County Council, Huw Irranca-Davies did not say “none”. In fairness, he also didn’t say any. But if the totality of his words speak for themselves, it’s clear the WG is involved in what is happening at Withyhedge at closer than arm’s length.

We raised the contradictory answers with Paul Davies MS.

Paul Davies told us: “This whole situation stinks and it’s clear that the Welsh Government has been engaging with Natural Resources Wales and giving them a steer.

“Whatever that steer is clearly isn’t working – as residents are continuing to live with potentially toxic emissions.

“The only appropriate action now is to close the site immediately and hold an independent public inquiry to get to the bottom of all of this.”

Andrew RT Davies added: “Vaughan Gething’s Welsh Government is developing a reputation for being economical with the truth.”