Welsh Conservatives

Speeches and questions

Speeches and questions in Plenary and in committees, newest first. The Llywydd's and deputies' chairing of Plenary is left out.

1,585 speeches and questions

22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 2 - Welsh Business Perspective
Okay. When we've purposely previously taken evidence from Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, he talked about a complaints procedure or concerns around the involvement of the development bank in businesses. Do you think that, or do you have any views on how…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 2 - Welsh Business Perspective
Sticking with the task and finish group, a suggestion from them was that the bank would develop its own 'innovative approach to provide solutions that directly address the needs of the SME sector.' Now, FSB focus predominantly in the SME sector, but do you…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 2 - Welsh Business Perspective
So, from an FSB perspective, you're not confident that you could say that that, what the task and finish group said in 2015, has happened, has been closer? From FSB's perspective, you can't see evidence of a closer working relationship with the private sector.
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 2 - Welsh Business Perspective
Thank you very much, Chair. Moving on to the relationship with the private sector, obviously we've heard evidence previously in annual scrutiny sessions with the Development Bank of Wales, but in 2015 the Welsh Government's task and finish group report…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 2 - Stakeholders
Thank you all. Diolch, Gadeirydd.
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 2 - Stakeholders
Okay. Elaine.
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 2 - Stakeholders
Just quickly—I’m conscious of time, so as succinctly as possible, if that’s okay—the current contract length is two years, and the planned successor is a two-year contract as well. Is two years the right amount of time?
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 2 - Stakeholders
Arfon, I know you wanted to come back in.
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 2 - Stakeholders
Hywel, you’ve mentioned Farming Connect being the envy of Scottish and English farmers, yet at the same time you mentioned it hasn’t really been targeted towards nature-friendly farming. Has that been a bit of gap in its provision over the last couple of…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 2 - Stakeholders
That’s helpful. I want to come back to a point that Hywel mentioned, and Arfon mentioned separately, in terms of what Farming Connect is delivering, and whether the advice that’s been given is sufficient for that transition away from common agricultural…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 2 - Stakeholders
Is it the role of Farming Connect to do the R&D side of it, or is that where you think—? I'm thinking of the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences in Aberystwyth as an example of R&D. Is that Farming Connect's role, or is that just a…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 2 - Stakeholders
Diolch, Gadeirydd. Good morning, panel. Thanks for joining us this morning. In terms of focusing on how Farming Connect can support the delivery of the SFS and future farm support schemes, in terms of its structure, how can it be better structured? Does the…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 1 - Stakeholders
Great. Thank you. Thanks, Chair.
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 1 - Stakeholders
Okay. Thank you. Dominic, anything to add?
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 1 - Stakeholders
Does anybody else want to come in on that point? Gareth.
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 1 - Stakeholders
Just one final point, then. This current SFS consultation has two mentions of Farming Connect; the previous had about 40. What’s changed that? Because it was quite noticeable how often Farming Connect was mentioned in the previous consultation; now it’s not…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 1 - Stakeholders
Abi, you wanted to come back on this.
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 1 - Stakeholders
Thank you. Sticking with you, Gareth, has the current Farming Connect programme and what it has offered farmers been a positive or a negative in terms of preparing farmers for the change away from CAP towards a new support scheme, be that the SFS or anything…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Farming Connect: Panel 1 - Stakeholders
Diolch, Gadeirydd. Good morning, panel, it's great to have you in. Just on the contract length of Farming Connect, it's currently two years and its planned successor contract is also two years. Is this a desirable length of contract, or should there be…
22 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest
Diolch, Gadeirydd. Honorary member of the British Veterinary Association.
21 February 2024Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The town of Pembroke in my constituency is not often considered to be a Welsh-speaking town, but there's a new Welsh-medium primary school being built in the area, and it will certainly help to provide Welsh-medium education, which is to be welcomed. However…
20 February 2024Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Deputy Minister, I appreciate your thoroughly comprehensive response to my Welsh Conservative colleague Joel James, but there was one point that wasn't touched upon in your response, and it was that of the farming unions. Given the current situation in rural…
20 February 2024Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: The Welsh Language Technology Action Plan
Thank you, Minister, for bringing forward this statement this afternoon and informing us about the current situation. As an enthusiastic supporter of the Welsh language and as one who is always very excited about new technologies, I recognise how important it…
7 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
The Border Target Operating Model
Yes. I'm grateful. Thank you very much. Thank you, Chair.
7 February 2024Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
The Border Target Operating Model
Okay, that's very helpful feedback. Now, you've mentioned in the evidence today your positive working relationship with the economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, here in Wales, but the Welsh Government have told us that they've requested to attend meetings of…