Lesley Griffiths: The issue that you refer to really is an operational matter for Transport for Wales, and I would urge you to write to the chief executive.
Lesley Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. There are two additions to today's agenda. Later this afternoon, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change will make a statement on bus reform. And secondly, I know you've now given permission for Stage 4 of the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill to be moved after completion of Stage 3 later today. Draft business for the next three sitting weeks...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I would like to begin by thanking the petitioners who raised this very important issue, and also to the Petitions Committee for its thoughtful consideration of the matter. The Welsh Government fully recognises the vital role that areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks play in Wales, and is supportive of potential new designations, where...
Lesley Griffiths: I think you raise a really important point, and we saw what happened in north-east Wales when we lost a milk processor—the difficulties that that caused. So, I'm really keen to see more milk processing taking place here in Wales and we're not seeing those tankers, as you say, cross the border. It is a commercial decision, but what I think Government's role is is to make sure that we have...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. The Welsh Government is building on its strong track record of investment in the food industry, as described in my strategic vision published last year. This month, I launched £40 million of investment through the new food business accelerator scheme to support capital investment in processing equipment and infrastructure.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. You will have heard me say in an earlier answer that, obviously, that is something that we can consider. I would prefer to wait until I've had my ministerial meeting on Monday to see what other views are across the UK and whether there's anything that we can do collectively together. I think you're right; these are challenging times for everybody, and I absolutely accept that there...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. Since 1 October 2022, there have been three confirmed outbreaks of avian influenza in Wales. The epidemiological start of the current outbreak was in October 2021, and we saw cases continue to be confirmed throughout the summer for the first time. We continue to monitor the disease situation on a daily basis.
Lesley Griffiths: You're quite right, I have had a letter and I have responded to Menter Môn in relation to their concerns around a replacement for LEADER in Wales. Obviously, I'm unable to make any commitments ahead of the draft budget, but my officials do continue to work with stakeholders to see how we can continue to support rural communities in the future. There's been excellent work delivered through...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. As a result of the UK Government not honouring its commitment to replace EU funding in full, Wales is around £1.1 billion worse off. However, it is my intention to continue to support community-led local development thorough our framework for regional investment in Wales.
Lesley Griffiths: It's a very important piece of legislation on several levels. You referred to two of them, but the dog attacks on livestock part of the legislation, for me, is very important. The current legislation is absolutely not fit for purpose. I'm just looking in my briefing to see what year—1953 is the legislation that we're currently working to. Well, that's before I was born, so it's a long time...
Lesley Griffiths: I'll refer to the two things separately. So, from a Welsh Government point of view, obviously, our priority is for animal welfare, as set out in the animal welfare plan for Wales. And there are things we can do on our own, but also, within that plan, it includes collaboration with the UK Government and other devolved Governments where there are clear benefits to us doing that. In relation to...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. Welsh Government is continuing to work with the UK Government on the animal welfare Bill, which makes provisions to deliver important reforms for the welfare of kept animals. Legislative consent memoranda for all the clauses contained in the Bill have been laid in the Senedd.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. I've had quite a few discussions, certainly during the summer shows. Cows on Tour had a fantastic corner in the Pembrokeshire show, where they had a constant stream of schoolchildren attending, and it was the story of the potato, how the potato started, going right through the life of a potato and how it ended up on our plates in the various forms it can be. Those sorts of things...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. I think you raise a really important point, and I absolutely see the sustainable farming scheme in the future being incorporated into this area. As I mentioned in my tabled answer to you, we've got many schemes that we support, and it's really good to hear about the project in your own constituency. I've been really pleased to see how many farmers want to engage with schools, and...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. The Welsh Government is committed to improving understanding of how food is produced, in addition to providing social benefits through community-supported growing. Support is available for community-supported agriculture through the Welsh Government rural communities rural development programme, under the co-operation and supply chain development scheme and LEADER.
Lesley Griffiths: As I say, it’s really important that all partners work together and I think you’re right about the HyNet project. Again, I’ve met with both Steve Rotherham and Andy Burnham to discuss the role that HyNet and the hydrogen project can play across border, and they’re both very keen to get involved. So, the committee can bring all these partners together, and you heard me say in my...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. I would certainly agree with you on that final point and I know it’s really important that we have partners working together in relation to the Wrexham-Bidston line, and that includes, obviously, Transport for Wales, Merseyrail, and the Welsh Government itself. In relation to a summit, probably at the current time, while the north Wales transport commission is having a look at...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. The Cabinet sub-committee for north Wales has discussed broad policy areas that impact on the Mersey Dee Alliance area, including transport, skills and COVID recovery. The Welsh Government is a founder member, and we value the partnership of organisations working to support the cross-border economy.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. That took me back to December council fishing negotiations in a previous life. Certainly, I haven't got those figures to hand, but I'd be very happy to write to the Member in relation to that. I know officials are having discussions at the moment around the number of licences that have been allocated since we left the European Union, going forward, but I'd be very happy to write to...
Lesley Griffiths: Well, again, it is something that we could do. We don't know how long this is going to last for. It could be that we will need to do it sooner rather than later, for instance, but I would prefer to have that discussion, because we haven't really had that ministerial discussion across the UK, because obviously it's very integrated across the UK. So, I would rather hear from the UK Government...
