Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and in relation to the point you say that I did not refer to, I think Dai Lloyd made a very pertinent point, that we need to look at how people outside of this place are able to access the legislation, because we have such a huge body of legislation going through now to prepare for day one, post Brexit, that clearly something could be missed. So, I would...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. These regulations make amendments to the Plant Health (Wales) Order 2018 and Plant Health etc. (Fees) (Wales) Regulations 2018. These regulations will ensure that plant health legislation in Wales, which implements current EU protective measures against the introduction and spread of organisms harmful to plants or plant products remains effective after the...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you, Dai Lloyd, for those observations. We absolutely agree and will correct point 1. Points 2 and 4: we agree and we are seeking to correct the errors through regulation 8(4) and (6) of the Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. And we note points 3, 5, 6 and 7, and are of the view they do not impact on the...
Lesley Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion. These regulations are part of a programme of work that we have to undertake in preparation for the UK's withdrawal from the European Union to ensure that we have a functioning statute book in Wales at the point of exit. These regulations, which introduce technical amendments to a number of statutory instruments relating to food marketing standards, public...
Lesley Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion. Many of the amendments made under the regulations are technical in nature and will ensure that legislation required to underpin the following will operate effectively in the UK after leaving the EU: the traceability of livestock for disease prevention and control, trade in animals and animal-related products with the EU, and halting any animals or products...
Lesley Griffiths: No.
Lesley Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion. The Seed Potatoes (Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019—the 2019 regulations—will ensure we have a functioning statute book in Wales and domestic legislation and that the field of the marketing of seed potatoes continues to operate effectively following the UK's exit from the EU. The instrument makes no policy changes other than those necessary...
Lesley Griffiths: Yes, diolch, Llywydd, just to say that we absolutely accepted those two points. The incorrect cross-referencing will be amended through a correction slip following publication of the statutory instrument, and a further SI will be brought forward as soon as practicable to address the points raised regarding the Welsh text.
Lesley Griffiths: These regulations make amendments to the Forest Reproductive Material (Great Britain) Regulations 2002, the Plant Health (Forestry) Order 2005, and the Plant Health (Fees) (Forestry) (Wales) Regulations 2019. The above legislation is intended to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful plant pests and diseases, prescribing the fees relating to forestry activities, and implementing EU...
Lesley Griffiths: Last Thursday, the First Minister launched our first Government-wide statutory decarbonisation plan. 'Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales' sets out 100 policies and proposals, across all sectors of our economy, to meet our current carbon budget and set a longer term decarbonisation trajectory for Wales.
Lesley Griffiths: The Welsh Government are providing support to the fishing industry through the European maritime and fisheries fund and for market development through attendance at trade shows and trade missions, and through a number of Brexit-related activities such as roadshows, export advisor scheme and communication on Brexit preparedness and also fisher safety initiatives.
Lesley Griffiths: The fishing industry in Wales mainly catches shellfish including whelk, crab, scallops and lobsters. In addition, aquaculture for species such as mussels and intertidal fisheries for cockles are also important. Most of this produce is exported to markets in Europe and the far east.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. The European maritime and fisheries fund does not provide financial compensation. Under article 38 of the fund, fishers are able to apply for grants for small-scale investment in selective gear, including fishing pots. Only a small number of applications have been received to date. These are awaiting final approval.
Lesley Griffiths: As I said in my opening answer to you, we don't provide financial compensation from the fund, but we did set up a shellfish pot replacement grant back in 2013-14 after those winter storms. That was set up by Welsh Government to support fishermen to replace equipment that had been lost. No pots have been purchased under the EMF at present. Appropriate checks will be put in place to confirm the...
Lesley Griffiths: All funding in the way that you suggest is absolutely transparent, and I know that you have written to me about the Welsh Fishermen's Association in particular. I can certainly assure you that all the funding is transparent. The WFA are completely compliant with all the monitoring issues. I absolutely refute what was put on Twitter not long ago and I'm taking action around those allegations....
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. As set out in the nature recovery action plan, our national nature reserves are key to our suite of protected sites to deliver Welsh Government priorities for biodiversity. They are core to the resilience of ecological networks, safeguarding species and habitats, and providing huge benefits to our well-being in Wales.
Lesley Griffiths: I was copied in to the correspondence, and I think yesterday I wrote back to the man who did the original letter. I did note the concerns; I wouldn't say I share them. However, when anybody writes to me with concerns of that nature, I always ask my officials to look into them on my behalf initially, so they will be discussing the points that he raised with NRW. And certainly, if there are any...
Lesley Griffiths: Well, obviously, I haven't had responsibility for planning since the new Government came in at the beginning of December. That now falls in the portfolio of Julie James.
Lesley Griffiths: If I can just go to the first point, I'm not aware of any change in policy, but I will ask my colleague Julie James to write to you to give you that assurance. In relation to renewable energies, Llyr Huws Gruffydd will be very aware of the targets that I set for renewable energy 12 months last December, and, clearly, community ownership plays a huge part in that. I am very pleased with the...
Lesley Griffiths: Well, I'm always very happy to collaborate. I don't have all the good ideas; no-one does. It's really important that we do work together, and, certainly, I have worked with you and your predecessor on this issue. I do think that we've shown leadership and I do think—. When I sat down with officials and other stakeholders to come forward with those targets, there was a little bit of eyebrow...
