, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
So, where do we begin? So, that's a consequence of leaving the European Union, isn't it? As you say, they have the seven-year certainty, and they knew that funding would arrive from Brussels in my budget and go straight out. At the moment, the assumptions…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Absolutely.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
I don't think I could, no.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
I wish I could. I just don't think it would be possible with not having a confirmed budget.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
It goes back to my earlier answer to Sam around—. NRW's response needs to be very proportionate, and the power that is there is to enable NRW to take action where an environmental harm arises, for instance, or there's a sensitivity that they believe needs to…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
So, in having felling licences as part of the agriculture Bill, obviously, I had lots of discussions with the Minister for Climate Change, because this is, obviously, in her portfolio area and, as I say, this was the earliest opportunity, she felt—. Well, I'm…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
So, we haven't considered it to date.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Yes. Sorry, yes.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Yes. We often look, if we want to do something—. Because of the, obviously, capacity of the legislative programme, we always look for that, and this fitted, I think it's fair to say.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
I suppose the agriculture Bill was the earliest opportunity, the first vehicle to come along, if you like, to be able to do that. I suppose to reduce the impact of felling licences on the nature crisis. We've been looking for an opportunity to do so, and this…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Officials will conduct a post-implementation review of the legislation within three years of commencement, so from that January date. We need to continue to work with NRW, we need to continue to work with stakeholders in relation to this, so that we've got, I…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
So, officials have issued non-statutory guidance to NRW on how these powers are to be implemented to ensure they're appropriate. I think we referred to last time that some applications will be very, very straightforward, some will be far more complex. So, I…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
I think, because it was in the White Paper, perhaps there was an assumption.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Certainly, the discussions I had were that farmers could be confused about what was required of them, and it would be better, as James said, to consolidate it.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
National minimum standards already exist within lots of, well, numerous regulations, I would say, and so we've got that regulatory baseline for all farmers in Wales, not only those who are participating in a scheme. I appreciate concerns that NMS do not form…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
So, marketing standard powers are necessary in order to update legislation based on changing circumstances in that market organisation—consumer preferences, for instance, or technological development. So, what the clause will do is give Welsh Ministers the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Yes, absolutely.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
The data collection provisions within the Bill enable any enforcement to be proportionate. So, for instance, if you imposed a sanction for non-compliance of providing data, under the data collection provisions, if a person or a business has not provided that…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
It was raised at—. We've only had one interministerial group since the latest DEFRA Secretary of State has been in post, and it was referred to, not in great detail; I think it might have been under 'any other business', I can't remember off the top of my…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Yes. In the letter, I referred to that in the last paragraph, and we know that any changes—and this is what you highlighted, Sarah, and in other places as well—to UK GDPR could have absolutely wide-ranging consequences, and I know that that's being considered…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Yes.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Obviously, we discussed this, Chair, at the last committee, and I did write, and I hope the detailed letter was of help. The provisions we've got are regulation making, so we do need to publish in advance the type of information that we intend to collect…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Can you remember the make-up of the working group off the top of your head?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
Yes.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 10
So, having grazing rights only won't be a barrier to accessing the scheme, but I think there are complexities, as you say, and Hefin David and I have had a few meetings over the years in relation to common land. And certainly, if you look at the sustainable…
