, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, thank you for raising this issue again, in fairness. I share your concern about the problem with water pressure in Redwick and, as I say, it's something that you've raised previously. It is vitally important, first of all, of course, that people have a…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, we are, I can assure the Member. We are strengthening rural resilience, Dirprwy Lywydd, across all rural Wales through investment in sustainable farming, in support for rural communities and businesses, actions to improve climate resilience, and new…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
I think this is where Reform gets it wrong. You see it as one side against another. I would much rather find a way where we can mutually support both farming, by making it more resilient, but, in doing so, support the recovery of nature and tackling climate…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, the Government monitors livestock numbers alongside evidence on farm viability, on emissions, on biodiversity and on animal health, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group. Our aim, of course, is to support sustainable, productive…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
I will happily take that away and consider it. I think you make a fair point. I think the role of citizens—. And I said earlier, in relation to green spaces, when you empower citizens to take action and to respond to some of these circumstances, then you are…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you. I meet regularly with Natural Resources Wales. This is something that I will raise with them. Clearly, I have confidence in their ability to do their job, but I also recognise that they are being stretched and there is great demand on the expertise…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you for the question. I am committed, as I said, to setting those targets across all the priority areas, and that work has to be done, in law, by April 2028. So, we will do that. As I said, we will work with stakeholders to get that in place. An…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
We are making good progress in developing ambitious, legally binding biodiversity targets, which we must have in place by April 2028. The targets will be informed by expert and stakeholder advice, underpinned by robust evidence and impact assessment, and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you very much for the question. I think it's very appropriate that the enterprise Minister is sat next to me, because I fully hope that this will be a joint endeavour. But we are looking to increase that particular focus on some of the communities that…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Yes I will, because family farms, as you say, are the backbone of our rural communities in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd and the rest of Wales as well, and we recognise the significant pressures that those businesses are facing. That's why we have been flexible, for…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
The Welsh Government is supporting family farms in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd through its £340 million annual budget commitment. To help farmers facing significant pressures this year particularly, we've increased advance payments from 70 per cent to 80 per cent…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you for drawing attention to a very important area here. I won't get drawn on particular local issues, but, more generally, we do know that the nutrient impact on housing delivery is concerning. The Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you for that question. I know that this is a challenge that could occur in a number of different contexts. I hope you'll be reassured that the Welsh Government is working with Natural Resources Wales and local planning authorities through the planning…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Protecting groundwater is essential for safeguarding drinking water supplies, the environment and Wales's long-term water resilience. Planning and environmental permitting processes require risks to groundwater to be assessed and managed. Where risks are…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, after the session we had in committee, I made sure that I did write to the UK Government to make these representations, to make sure that any implications for Welsh agriculture are properly considered and any negative consequences are avoided. My…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you. There were a couple of questions in there. I haven't got the list in front of me of the membership of that group, but we are, you're right, looking at a whole food system, from gate to plate and beyond—well, no, where does it go after that? I'm not…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Yes, she's very good. She never does it to me. [Laughter.]
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you for that. I'm not 100 per cent sure where we are on that. I am aware, if I'm correct, and I don't wish to mislead the Senedd, that a review is happening of the evidence at the minute. I'm awaiting advice from officials. Maybe, if you'd allow me, I…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, not only within my portfolio, as I think there's a huge responsibility across Government on all of us to lean more heavily on nature-based solutions, because we can mix concrete to our heart's content, but, unless we work with the grain of nature, we…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you. I won't get drawn on particular court cases, et cetera—you'll understand that I can't comment on those—but you make a very valid point about biosecurity measures, and I will write to the company and others to make sure that they are reminded of…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
'Just transition' is exactly what we are trying to achieve here. You say that we've done nothing; we've committed £1 billion over the coming three years to farming to make sure that those farmers who aren't sure about coming on board with the SFS can see that…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
I'm under no illusion about the difficult transition that we're on at the minute, from the legacy BPS programme through to the new sustainable farming scheme. It's a journey that we will continue to travel on. You said that the SFS is wholly inflexible. Well…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, that isn't really a role of mine within my portfolio. Clearly, it has a relevance to the energy Minister and it will have a relevance to the planning Minister as well. So, maybe you'd like to direct your question to them when the opportunity arises.
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you for drawing our attention to that. I'm always concerned when there are any circumstances that require police attendance and police involvement. There's a certain way of doing things, and I think decent courtesy means that that should always be…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
I have regular discussions with my Cabinet colleague. In the coming weeks, I know that the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy will set out our plans to turn our manifesto commitment for the undergrounding of new electricity circuits in…
