, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme
Okay. Are we awaiting a written statement from you on that, just to confirm? Because I think that's a really interesting panel, and I'll come on to it, but that panel will, for me, underpin the delivery of the sustainable farming scheme.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme
There we are. And have you confirmed, publicly, the membership of the carbon sequestration panel?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme
Fab. And you've ensured that there's a cross-section of voices there from agricultural and environmental backgrounds and everything in between.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme
You've confirmed the organisations, but not the individuals from the organisations.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme
Diolch yn fawr, Cadeirydd. On the ministerial round-table, not looking to pre-empt, as you mentioned, but can you confirm who is on the round-table?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
So, those judgments, are they political judgments? As in, if something's politically unpalatable, you're going to be more cautious of accepting the evidence and the advice from the technical advisory group.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Okay. And just on the technical advisory group and the advice that they give, how concrete is it that you're going to accept that advice, if, for example, it goes against a manifesto commitment of yours, which says that you forbid the cull of badgers to help…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
What are we doing? What are those strides forward?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Okay. Thank you. Bovine TB, something that I've been incredibly passionate about, for obvious reasons. I've seen first-hand the pain and distress this disease has caused on farms across Wales. And then the NFU survey showed that the impact of bovine TB on…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Okay. And before I come in to the questions around bovine TB, obviously, this committee's received a letter from another Member around Hybu Cig Cymru and potential issues there. I was just wondering if you could provide us with an update on Hybu Cig Cymru, if…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
No, diolch yn fawr. Diolch, Cadeirydd. Just one other point, and it was mentioned there, about capital investment. Mona Dairy has just gone into administration, having had, in 2021, £3 million of capital funding from Welsh Government. Are the checks and…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Okay. I'll take that then. Thanks, Chair.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
—and now, Gian, you're saying you're not confirming it. Is an RDP advisory board going to be set up? It was a commitment.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
So, the Cabinet Secretary just confirmed it—
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
So, I take from your answer—just forgive me, Chair—and Huw's answer, that, yes, the RDP advisory board is to be set up.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Okay. Just one final point on the RDP. The previous commitment for an RDP advisory board to advise on future delivery of funding; is that still a commitment?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
HM Treasury would say that the accounting would show that the Welsh Government has received what was a manifesto commitment in 2019.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
HM Treasury would say that they have.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I understand the reality here, and there are differing arguments from His Majesty's Treasury as to the quantum of money being sent down the M4 for delivery of projects, and everything like that. You've spent two minutes there now explaining something that was…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
How long is that going to be an excuse? How long? Eight years—
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Okay. One thing—. And not to dwell on your predecessor, but in her final couple of scrutiny sessions here, we talked around the rural development programme and the delivery of that. Are you planning any sort of review of how the RDP was done? Are you looking…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I appreciate that.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
So, why are they announced, then, if they're not ready? If that £20 million is announced in October 2022, for me, that should be available money. That shouldn't be money and then saying, 'Yes, we've announced it, but you won't be able to access it until 18…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial scrutiny - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Diolch, Cadeirydd. Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Just picking up a point there that you mentioned around what you called the recently announced £20 million—that was announced initially back in 2022, and then the technical advisory group around TB was also…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Green Economy inquiry - Panel 8 - Trade Unions
Yes, fab. Thank you. That's really helpful. Thank you, Chair.
