Lesley Griffiths: The Welsh Government is working to support the agriculture sector in North Wales, as in all parts of Wales, to become more profitable, sustainable, resilient, and professionally managed. Almost 2,000 businesses in the region have signed up to Farming Connect, a vital element of our support to farming, food and forestry businesses.
Lesley Griffiths: Livestock markets across Wales are a critical component of the agricultural industry and offer significant employment within a rural area. They deliver competition to a marketplace that is heavily dominated by supermarket demands and allow farmers to buy and sell breeding, store and finished livestock which is fully traceable.
Lesley Griffiths: Torfaen County Borough Council receives annual funding via the environment and sustainable development single revenue grant to help deliver against key environmental priority areas; this includes local environment quality issues. This programme encourages local authorities to work collaboratively with key partners and local communities to target local needs and conditions.
Lesley Griffiths: Our internationally recognised environment Act draws from the key international obligations on climate change and biodiversity. Delivery against the Act and the wider framework of the well-being of future generations Act will ensure we deliver on our global environmental responsibility.
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: 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.
Lesley Griffiths: Yes, I think you raise a very important point and, when we look at Brexit, it’s not all doom and gloom—there are opportunities. I think one of the opportunities is that we could perhaps look at the potential different uses of land, if you like, and we’ve started scoping that work. Obviously, it’s up to a landowner what they want to do with their land, but I think there is the...
Lesley Griffiths: Yes, we certainly don’t have to wait until post Brexit—that was where I was specifically talking about the work that we were doing in looking at the use of land in a different way. Certainly, we have been looking at the current procurement regime to make sure that we do that. I have the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board and, obviously the food and drink industry action plan, and I think...
Lesley Griffiths: You will have heard me say many times that I cannot imagine a time when we do not have to support our agricultural sector. Obviously, the manifesto was launched, there was a significant chapter in the manifesto regarding agriculture and environment, right across my portfolio. We have said all along we don’t know what funding we’re going to have post Brexit, but, if you remember, during...
Lesley Griffiths: That’s something that will have to be looked at. You are quite right about the UK Government, and I’ve been working very closely with colleagues to make sure that we are in a position to take air quality forward. You know that I’ve made it a personal priority. I think it’s really important, and I’ve written to DEFRA recently on it. You’ll be aware DEFRA have recently published a...
Lesley Griffiths: I actually had a discussion about this this morning because this is something that we need to look at. On a personal level, I’m making sure that Welsh Government puts some charging points in as soon as possible. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, which I won’t bore you with, they can only be used by staff in the beginning, but I think it’s really important. You’ll be aware of an...
Lesley Griffiths: I’m not sure about specific policies, but I’ve certainly supported them financially. You’ll be aware of the significant investment we’ve put to young farmers. For instance, we’ve got the Agri Academy, which is full of young, dynamic farmers who are very willing to help me formulate policies going forward, and I’ve met them regularly. I’ve also made it a personal choice to go out...
