Lesley Griffiths: I was very pleased to visit Halen Môn over the summer; I managed to harvest some sea salt myself in a very fetching hairnet, but it was great to see such a wonderful company, and the owners are just so dynamic. Again, it was they who told me how much they value that protected food status. I'm very happy to continue to support the concept to which you refer. Brexit has thrown up lots of...
Lesley Griffiths: I have had the opportunity to familiarise myself with previous correspondence. I've also had discussions with officials about it. I haven't discussed it directly with DEFRA, but my officials have and it's something we're looking at. You will also be aware that my predecessor brought forward a review of Hybu Cig Cymru, and, again, we're looking at the levy in aspects of that as well.
Lesley Griffiths: On 28 July, I issued a written statement on the publication of the Wales animal health and welfare framework implementation plan 2016-17. The plan includes priorities for the coming 12 months and actions for delivery. These have been agreed in partnership with the Wales animal health and welfare framework group.
Lesley Griffiths: I refer Members to the statement I sent to all Assembly Members yesterday concerning the consultation process on proposed measures to improve air quality across Wales. In parallel to this, my officials will continue to work closely with local authorities, industrial operators and regulators across Wales to improve air quality.
Lesley Griffiths: The provisional figures for the year 2015-16 show Wales has reached 60 per cent recycling. We have the highest recycling rate in the UK, great news in National Recycling Week. It is testament to the commitment of our local councils and residents of Wales and to the policies of the Welsh Government.
Lesley Griffiths: I am working closely with the industry to develop a distinctly Welsh agricultural policy to ensure the long-term prosperity of Wales’s farming communities post exit. A series of workshops with a wide range of stakeholders have been held to consider the risks and opportunities as well as the way forward for Wales.
Lesley Griffiths: We are working to support the farming industry to become more profitable, sustainable, resilient, and professionally managed. Practical support is delivered through schemes such as Farming Connect, the rural development programme and Glastir. The strategic partnership group is currently developing a road map for agriculture to deliver our shared vision.
Lesley Griffiths: I welcome this report and the findings it contains. It provides five recommendations to further improve coastal policy and programme, all of which I have accepted. Work to address these is already ongoing through improvements to our project guidance and establishment of a new flood and coastal erosion committee.
Lesley Griffiths: Diolch, Presiding Officer. As Members will have seen from the latest business statement, I will be making an oral statement on a refreshed approach to TB eradication on 18 October. Therefore, I don’t intend to go into too much detail today. However, since I became the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs in May, I have made very clear my intention to refresh the TB programme...
Lesley Griffiths: Yes.
Lesley Griffiths: I haven’t had specific discussions with my counterpart, but my officials work very closely, particularly, as you’ll be aware, the chief veterinary officers—the four of them across the UK—work incredibly closely together. We are now in a position to identify and agree three categories of TB areas across Wales, based on incident levels. This will allow us to tailor and implement...
Lesley Griffiths: Yes.
Lesley Griffiths: In relation to the vaccination, I was going to say, in response to something that Neil Hamilton said, just because we don’t have a vaccine supply, it doesn’t mean that we don’t have a policy—of course we have a policy and the majority of that, rightly so, is around cattle control measures. I don’t know what crystal ball Neil Hamilton has, but he came up with the date of 2023 and...
Lesley Griffiths: Formally.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I’m pleased to respond to this debate on behalf of the Government. As a Government, we’ve been absolutely clear about our commitment to provide support to deliver successful and sustainable rural communities. Our rural development programme supports a broad range of individuals, businesses, organisations and communities, including farming families...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I’d like to thank Huw Irranca-Davies for bringing this short debate forward and Caroline Jones and Suzy Davies for their contributions. The way that society manages waste has changed radically over the last 20 years, and this has had implications for people, the environment and regulation. As waste has been diverted away from landfill and up the waste...
Lesley Griffiths: Diolch, Lywydd. As Members will be aware, on 4 October, Natural Resources Wales were notified of a kerosene spill from the pipeline adjacent to the A48 near Nantycaws. In the immediate response to the incident, the fire and rescue service deployed emergency oil spill containment booms on the Nant Pibwr and Natural Resources Wales established a multi-agency co-ordination centre. Specialist...
Lesley Griffiths: Diolch, Adam Price, for those questions. In relation to the timeline, I can inform Members that, last Tuesday—so, 4 October—the first phone call received by NRW from Valero was at 10:46 when Valero said that they were self-reporting damage to a kerosene pipeline and where the location was. The quantity of discharge at that time was unknown, and they had approved contractors being—. They...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Joyce Watson, for those questions. I’m very pleased you have met with Valero and I should have said that both Valero and NRW are very happy to meet any Assembly Member to discuss this matter. You’re quite right, we should also take the opportunity to thank the emergency services for their attendance. In relation to the A48, I did say I do accept there will be inconvenience, but...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I thank Angela Burns for those comments and certainly the ones around the silver command team. You’re absolutely right: it was very good to see just how well NRW did co-ordinate that multi-agency response and silver command has met on a daily basis and I’ve received an update from them. I’m very happy to talk to Ken Skates’s officials in his absence....
