Llyr Gruffydd: I do apologise, Llywydd.
Llyr Gruffydd: Gathering my thoughts—.
Llyr Gruffydd: Denbighshire County Council's scrutiny committee's report into the Llantysilio mountain fire raises a number of questions directed to a number of different agencies. I'm wondering if you could tell me what lessons the Welsh Government has taken from this whole episode and, particularly given that a number of the recommendations in their report refer to Natural Resources Wales, what advice...
Llyr Gruffydd: We must max this out as much as possible—that doesn't sound like a categoric assurance to me that that money will be used in full and effectively. And, of course, the worry is that if the money is late being allocated then, of course, as is very often in other spheres, it's going to be a case of that money being pushed out of the door in blind panic at the end just in order to make sure...
Llyr Gruffydd: So, five years later, you're not sure; you don't know. Maybe that suggests that somebody needs to do a piece of work looking at the use of that particular money, because farmers were, of course, told, at the time, that the money taken out from their direct payments would actually come back to them through the rural development programme. The reality, of course, is very different, because...
Llyr Gruffydd: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Minister, back in 2013, when the former rural affairs Minister, Alun Davies, maxed out on the modulation, if you remember, taking the maximum 15 per cent out of pillar 1 into pillar 2, it was touted at the time as something that would lead to, in his words, 'transformational change'. Has it?
Llyr Gruffydd: 3. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure the conservation of farming land in Wales? OAQ54489
Llyr Gruffydd: There’s no doubt, of course, that Extinction Rebellion and the school strikers have transformed the narrative around the climate emergency that we’re currently facing. And I agree with you entirely that we should congratulate and support those people for their efforts. But, of course, Plaid Cymru did table a motion here a fortnight ago doing exactly that in the context of the school...
Llyr Gruffydd: Will the Member take an intervention?
Llyr Gruffydd: The only question I have is, procedurally, the committee brings a report to this Assembly in the same way as any other committee would do, so that the Assembly as a whole can come to a decision. Surely you have to recognise that we're all within our right to vote whichever way we wish to vote on this.
Llyr Gruffydd: You’ll be aware, of course, of the warnings—and we heard some from the agricultural sector over the summer—of the possibility of civil unrest as a result of the circumstances arising from a ‘no deal’ Brexit. So, can I ask you what preparations and discussions you’ve had with the relevant authorities in light of those possibilities, because the closer we come to a ‘no deal’...
Llyr Gruffydd: It was November of last year when there was a picture of you in the local paper, The Leader, announcing investment to improve disabled access to Ruabon station, in your constituency, of course. It’s almost 12 months since then, and that investment hasn’t yet happened. Constituents tell me that they feel that they’ve been misled in that regard. So, can I ask you whether you regret being...
Llyr Gruffydd: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on how the Welsh Government will improve disabled access to railways in Wales? OAQ54423
Llyr Gruffydd: 8. What discussion has the Counsel General held with the UK Government regarding safeguarding Wales's interests in the Brexit process after 31 October 2019? OAQ54443
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywyd. I’m pleased to contribute to this debate. As this Chamber will recall, of course, we discussed the general principles of the Bill on 10 July, and the Counsel General agreed to the request from the Finance Committee not to seek the Assembly’s approval of the financial resolution until the Finance Committee had had an opportunity to consider the draft amendments...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you, Minister, for your statement, you make a number of valid points. I think there is certainly an irony that a number of people who wanted to leave the EU wanted to do so because of a perceived bureaucracy, and now of course they're facing greater bureaucracy from a 'no deal' Brexit, which I think is food for thought for many people. I also share your concerns that food supplies will...
Llyr Gruffydd: Could I thank everybody who has contributed to the debate? I think the debate that we've had in the last hour has shown how valuable having this kind of discussion is, and indeed how having an even broader discussion in terms of timing and the number of contributions would enrich and help the Minister and others in developing the Government’s budget, but that it’s important to do that at...
Llyr Gruffydd: Now, while the committee strongly believes that an early debate is something that needs to be facilitated on a permanent basis in the future, it’s important, of course, that we have a debate on spending priorities this year, although a little later than we'd hoped, given the recent UK Government spending round and the proposed timings of the Welsh Government’s budget. Our scrutiny of the...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you very much, temporary Deputy Presiding Officer, and as Chair of the Finance Committee, I'm very pleased to be opening this debate today on the future spending priorities for the Welsh Government. The Finance Committee has expressed its concern that the Assembly does not have a formal opportunity to debate and, through that, to potentially influence the Welsh Government’s spending...
Llyr Gruffydd: Can I thank the Minister for her statement and reiterate her thanks as well to Chris Jofeh and the independent group of stakeholders who've been working on the report? I share the nervousness—when Government says that they accept something in principle, then you think, 'Oh crikey, there we are, it's a nod', and then they sort of walk away and come back to it a few years down the line. So, I...
