, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Group 4: National Minimum Standards (Amendment 46)
Thank you, Chair. My response to recommendation 4 of this committee’s Stage 1 report did provide further clarity on the policy intent around national minimum standards. I think it's good to remember—and this is very particular—that NMS already exist in law…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Group 3: Sustainable Land Management Reporting (Amendments 58, 44, 6, 7, 45)
Thank you, Chair. So, amendment 58: I don't think it's necessary to include in the statement an explanation of how the Welsh Ministers have complied with the SLM duty under section 2, as the Bill already makes appropriate provision for detailed reporting. The…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Group 2: Equal Status of the Objectives (Amendment 5)
Thank you very much. So, amendment 5 seeks to ensure all SLM objectives are treated equally and considered together, and the SLM objectives, as drafted in the Bill, are to be considered together, with no hierarchy, as I set out in my response to this…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Group 1: The Sustainable Land Management Objectives (Amendments 57, 1A, 1, 43, 2, 3, 29, 4)
Thank you very much, Chair. I'd just like to begin by thanking Members for their remarks, for their amendments to the Bill and for this opportunity to set out the Government's position regarding them all. I just want to assure Members that both I and my…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill—Stage 2 Consideration
Yes, certainly. Thank you, Chair. So, over on my left, I have Emma Davies, who is the agricultural Bill manager and Dorian Brunt, who is the senior lawyer for the rural affairs team. And on my right, Hannah Fernandez, head of policy instructions for the Bill…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I don't think they're disconnected at all. What I've been really keen to do with the rural investment schemes is for our stakeholders to work very closely with us and that they tell us what they want. For instance, we had, I think, three schemes specifically…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Future rural development support focuses on delivering our core programme for government commitments. I have already announced a package of support through my rural investment schemes worth over £200 million to support the rural economy and our natural…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you. Clearly, the Member didn't hear my answer to Vikki Howells—we didn't introduce Lucy's law here in Wales; that's England-only legislation. We went beyond that; we brought forward the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales)…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you. Well, as I mentioned, a review of the dog breeding regulations is going to be broadened to see if there are any other species—and, absolutely, cats would be part of that—would benefit from being within the scope of the regulations, because I think…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Our animal welfare plan for Wales details how we will deliver our programme for government commitments. A review of the Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2014 is planned and will include consideration of broadening the scope to include…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Well, the report to which you refer was many years ago, and we’ve certainly learned lessons, and there’s been no criticism since that time, and I can assure you that will absolutely be put in place. The reason I said I wasn’t having a board any more is…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
You'll be aware there are very strict criteria around this funding. So, the Down to Earth project is funded through the EU RDP co-operation and LEADER schemes, and it's absolutely able to do that. You're very well aware, I'm sure, of what the project will be…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you. The Down to Earth project, funded through rural development programme, is due to submit the final claim in June 2023. The project is required to appoint an independent assessor to report on the impact and outcomes achieved, which will be assessed…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
It's imperative that the proposed provision is what we would want for our constituents across north Wales. My understanding from the work that WHSSC undertook is that this was the best way of providing provision. I do take on board what you're saying about…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
What I do think is that it's really important that these babies have access to the very best care available, and my understanding is that the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee undertook an assessment of demand in north Wales and concluded there was…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I have not had any specific discussions with the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding a mother and baby unit for the people of Arfon. I am, of course, aware of the plans to improve access to specialist mother and baby unit provision for the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you. Well, as I say, I cannot pre-empt any consultation, but, certainly, the discussions I have had—. I mentioned in my answer to Natasha Asghar that I have met with representatives of many welfare organisations on a range of issues. Obviously, housing…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
No, I'm taking it all in.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Well, as I say, I don't want to pre-empt the consultation that I will be launching later this year. I have met with representatives from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. I have met with other welfare organisations, and I have met with the owner of Valley…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you. Well, as I said, last week, during the scrutiny session in committee, I'm very happy to speak with the Minister for Climate Change, and I'm sure she would be very happy to speak to you also, if any future changes in land use were likely to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you. As detailed in the debate on 8 March, I will launch a public consultation regarding greyhound racing later this year. The consultation will gather evidence on the benefits and impacts of both legislating and banning greyhound racing in Wales.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
We certainly do work very closely with DEFRA. I'm not aware of any sightings in Wales, and I'm not aware of any sightings in England, actually, for quite a little while—I think certainly not this year. But when there is a sighting of one, obviously our…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
We recognise the worrying decline in pollinators. Our action plan for pollinators, the first of its kind in the world, aims to provide diverse and connected flower-rich habitats to ensure healthy pollinator populations. In Gwent, Nature Isn’t Neat is changing…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you. Well, as I stated to Vikki Howells, our legislation goes further than the legislation in England. I do think you raise a very important point, though, because we know that, unfortunately, people do still buy their pets online, and our legislation…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you. I am aware, obviously, that Lucy's law is reaching an important anniversary next month, and Lucy, the spaniel who the legislation was named after, did come from a farm here in Wales. But that legislation only applies to England. As you're aware…
