Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. In our drive for a decarbonised future, we are fully committed to supporting more renewable energy projects in Wales. Our wealth of natural resources enables us to benefit from a wide range of opportunities, from major projects such as tidal lagoons to community-scale energy generation schemes.
Lesley Griffiths: Well, we work with numerous companies to promote investment into all regions of Wales. In the renewable energy sector, we attract inward investment through conferences, through exhibitions, such as RenewableUK’s all-energy and wave and tidal events. It’s really important that we have Welsh supply chain companies on our Welsh Government stands, so that they can make the contacts, and that...
Lesley Griffiths: Well, Presiding Officer, Members will understand that I am limited in what I can say about particular projects or proposals, and that does include the proposed tidal lagoon for Swansea bay, given my statutory role. However, you’ll be aware that we’ve had discussions—myself and Ken Skates—with Charles Hendry. We support, in principle, the development of a tidal lagoon energy industry...
Lesley Griffiths: We have a significant number now of community energy-based projects going forward. I think we’ve got about 11, now, in construction. I am actually meeting with the National Grid, if it’s not next week I think it’s the week after, which will be my initial meeting, but, as I said, officials have had meetings also.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. As of this morning, there are 1,198 Glastir area claims still to process. In 2016, basic payment scheme claims were prioritised, due to the significant value and number of farm businesses receiving those payments. As of today, over 99.2 per cent of farm businesses have been paid, a total of £220.6 million of BPS. From January, Rural Payments Wales’s focus switched to processing...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. You’re quite right—since I think it was a written question that was issued to the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, there have been a further 563 claims paid, and I’ve given you the current position today. We did inform farmers that this would happen, because of the way that we were doing the BPS after the changes last year, so I don’t accept that the Glastir payments are...
Lesley Griffiths: I actually think Glastir has been incredibly successful. In fact, this year, we’ve had an increase in the number of Glastir contracts and claims to process. We’ve had, I think, an additional 543 successful Glastir applications. So, I actually think it’s been a very incredibly successful scheme. You also will appreciate that the EU common agricultural policy simplification meant we had...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. Yes, as far as I’m aware, all people have been contacted already, and probably a couple of months ago, to say they were sent in error. In relation to being given information about when they will have their payment, I think that’s a very fair point. Certainly, I’ve had a meeting today with our RPW staff to say that at least they can be told by the end of June, for instance,...
Lesley Griffiths: Extraordinary, inspirational, genuine, brilliant, original, unique: all adjectives that have been used to describe Rhodri in the hundreds of tributes I’ve read over the past few days, each one an accurate description of him. I met both Julie and Rhodri 20 years ago in the ‘Yes for Wales’ campaign. I then worked on Rhodri’s two leadership campaigns back in 1998 and 1999, the history of...
Lesley Griffiths: In March, I committed the final tranche of the 2014-20 rural development programme to make full use of the current UK Treasury guarantee. However, what is clearly needed is for the UK Government to honour the commitment that Wales would not lose a penny as a result of EU exit.
Lesley Griffiths: Since 2011, we have invested over £217 million in Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest and Arbed schemes, improving the energy efficiency of over 39,000 homes. We are investing a further £104 million over the next four years to improve an additional 25,000 homes.
Lesley Griffiths: Footpath and bridleway maintenance is primarily the responsibility of local authorities. Paths connect communities, provide opportunities for healthy recreation and support tourism. The Welsh Government provides financial support to local authorities to deliver path improvements. This funding has made over 9,000 km of paths easier to use.
Lesley Griffiths: TB is a very complex disease. The information on the dashboard comes directly from our epidemiology team, who are experts on the disease. The dashboard shows the disease situation at a national and regional level and presents data in a visual way to make the information easier to understand.
Lesley Griffiths: Electric vehicles offer a potential long-term solution to improving urban air quality. We are working closely across the Welsh Government to assess all options for emission improvements.
Lesley Griffiths: Progress has been made on the biocontrol of Japanese knotweed using psyllid stocks from Japan. An improved delivery method has resulted in better survival of the psyllids, which is a key development in tackling Japanese knotweed. Further releases of the psyllid are planned later in 2017.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. We are committed to maintaining and improving our environmental standards and recognise that our natural resources are fundamental to Wales’s future post EU exit. The environment and well-being of future generations Acts have already put in place a strong foundation based on international obligations that will remain unaffected by Brexit.
Lesley Griffiths: Yes, absolutely, I have been having those discussions, and I certainly meet very regularly with UK Ministers on EU transition issues, and Ministers from the other devolved administrations. The last meeting was 20 April. We haven’t got one this month, obviously, because of the election, and we’re due to meet on 21 June next. We support the European Commission’s action plan, which aims to...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you.
Lesley Griffiths: It’s something that we can take a look at. There’s actually something on my desk upstairs around harbour porpoises. So, we’ll certainly have a look at it and, obviously, I’d be happy to update Members.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. The Welsh Government supports the agriculture and food industries in partnership with Amaeth Cymru and the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board. There is potential to develop horticulture and opportunity as Wales adapts to Brexit. We recognise the health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption and have taken action to promote them.
