Lesley Griffiths: The planning system provides limited enforcement powers to deal with effects of vacancy, enabling local planning authorities to require landowners to return buildings to a tidy condition or use compulsory purchase powers to facilitate regeneration. Authorities can use the LDP process to identify opportunities for alternative uses, including housing.
Lesley Griffiths: Dog attacks can ruin lives and are avoidable if dog owners ensure they are in control of their animals at all times. Awareness-raising campaigns can run independent of Government and it is not our place to assess their effectiveness. I suggest we discuss this issue further in our February meeting.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Our Welsh food and drink industry continues to go from strength to strength. Since I last addressed Plenary, in November 2016, the industry’s sales turnover has increased strongly from £6.1 billion to £6.9 billion. We stand on the threshold of the £7 billion target of 'Towards Sustainable Growth', the food and drink action plan set in 2014, to be...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Paul Davies, for the series of questions, and I was very pleased to speak at the FUW breakfast this morning that Paul referred to, that he sponsored. Unfortunately, I didn't get any breakfast but that's quite often an issue when you go to these events and you're whizzed past all the food. But it was very good to see so many people there enjoying Welsh produce absolutely at its...
Lesley Griffiths: I thank Simon Thomas for his list of questions and for welcoming the significant progress that we've made. I think you raise a very important point about team Wales, brand Wales and ensuring that people understand where the food is coming from. Certainly, I'm having discussions around labelling. You'll be aware that, even in a product, you could have some imported ingredients also, so I...
Lesley Griffiths: I thank Mike Hedges for those questions. I'm absolutely convinced that we will certainly hit that target of £7 billion when we have the 2017 data, and then we'll certainly have to look at where we set the next target. You specifically mentioned Chester, and, obviously, my constituency borders onto Cheshire—[Interruption.] I'm guessing that's why you mentioned it. I can't think of anybody...
Lesley Griffiths: I thank the Member for those questions, and I'm still managing to retain my glass-half-full attitude in spite of all the uncertainties. You say it's a ritual that I mention Brexit uncertainties, but I'm sure, in your conversations, as you go around your region, the agricultural sector and food and drink producers must be telling you that, unless we get the gentlest of Brexits, there is a...
Lesley Griffiths: I thank Joyce Watson for her very pertinent questions around the use of plastic and packaging. I think you're right, the time is now. I think people are really interested in this, and, obviously, with my colleague Hannah Blythyn, the Minister for Environment, we will be bringing forward the waste strategy for Wales, looking at food waste reduction as well, because I think that's also—. At...
Lesley Griffiths: I think that's a very good suggestion, and I don't see why they couldn't. I mentioned before that their mission is to stimulate innovation and support new project developments that would benefit our food and drink companies, so I don't see why that couldn't be part of it. We've led the way in recycling; why can't we lead the way in doing that? It's particularly for SMEs, so one of the things...
Lesley Griffiths: Well, I can certainly say that Morrisons sell them, because as part of the BlasCymru—. From Pembrokeshire, Puffin Produce—they sell Welsh leeks, and I certainly know that one of the supermarkets that take them is Morrisons. But I think you're right, it is important that people know where they can access horticultural skills training, and certainly I know—. Actually, in the Minister for...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. This week, I published the consultation, a completely revised 'Planning Policy Wales', to make it more streamlined. In addition, I've asked the Law Commission to undertake a review of planning law in Wales to provide recommendations on simplifying and consolidating planning legislation.
Lesley Griffiths: I certainly think there is a very clear need to simplify and consolidate Welsh planning legislation, and, certainly, the scoping paper that the Law Commission brought forward back in July 2016—I think it was something like 94 per cent of respondents clearly said that there was a need to simplify it, so I certainly wouldn't argue with that. I think, also, since I've been in portfolio, a...
Lesley Griffiths: That is not something that I did ahead of the consultation that I launched on Monday. So, in relation to planning law, which was the original question, I mentioned that we've got two consultations running in parallel—the Law Commission one and the one that I launched on Monday. And certainly, within that 'Planning Policy Wales' consultation, it's something that we can look at.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. Yes, I'm very aware of your concerns and I share your concerns. I think we had a very constructive meeting with my officials who, you'll be aware, are analysing the planning appeals that have come forward regarding HMOs right across Wales—in all areas of Wales, I think—to identify if there are any specific issues that we need to look at. You'll be aware that it is for local...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Simon, for that question. You'll be aware of our quadrilateral meetings. We haven't met now since before Christmas, but we are due to meet a week on Monday, actually, here in Cardiff, with the Secretary of State from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and also obviously my Scottish counterparts, and, probably, the Permanent Secretary from Northern Ireland....
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. Like you, Simon, I think it's really invigorating to see young people want to have a career in agriculture and go forward and get their own holding, for instance. And you'll be aware that the main issue around the scheme is that it's their first time having a holding in their own name. So, what we plan to do is give—I think it's a significant amount of funding—about £40,000,...
Lesley Griffiths: Yes. Just this morning, I met with representatives of the Welsh fishing association, and you won't be surprised to learn that the continuation of being tariff free is incredibly important to them. You will have heard the First Minister say yesterday that, when he was in Ireland on Monday, he heard about five lorries of fish that couldn't get out of the country, and, certainly, the...
Lesley Griffiths: Yes, we certainly are looking at what legislation we need in relation to animal welfare. You will be aware that a lot of it is very old, and we're having discussions currently with the UK Government around the animal welfare (sentencing and recognition of sentience) Bill for instance. But, in relation to pets, we've been looking at the code of practices also, and I'm bringing forward a...
Lesley Griffiths: I mentioned that I will be bringing forward a statement in March, so I can't give you a specific update now. It's not that it hasn't been a priority, but you'll be aware that there are lots of priorities, and animal welfare is very high up, certainly, on my agenda and that of the Welsh Government. So, officials are working to bring forward a package of measures around animal welfare and, as...
Lesley Griffiths: Yes, I'm happy to look at anything that will, obviously, improve animal welfare standards. Local authorities haven't specifically raised that concern with me, but, again, if you have any specific knowledge that you would like to pass on to me, please do.
