Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, your plan had 100 action points in it and obviously it brought all the action points together for the first time, I believe, in one document. One of the targets is to increase tree planting and the environment committee here has looked at that. You have missed that by a country mile and when you look at Natural Resources Wales, they have over 6,000 hectares and more of...
Andrew RT Davies: I've never won a vote before. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. And I formally move the motion this afternoon. I'm sure I speak for many of my fellow contributors in today's debate that it is with some mixed feeling that we bring this motion forward, particularly in the aftermath of Wales's outstanding Grand Slam victory just some 10 days ago. I think the celebrations have just about died down across the nation,...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you for that concise answer, Minister, and I fully understand why you're responding to this question as opposed to the First Minister. I would also like to put my apologies to Carl Sargeant and Jack Sargeant's family because obviously this Chamber did not get the answers that they required and the family felt that they had to go to court to get this judgment today. This is a damning...
Andrew RT Davies: Regrettably, Minister, that will give me a clear indication—and those watching from Barry—that I will not get much insight into the situation the Government finds itself in at the moment, other than that it is still seeking legal advice, some 13 months after you yourself, in this Chamber, gave a commitment that you were minded to request an environmental impact assessment. Given that you...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Minister, for that answer. One of the points that I did put to you in that statement that you made recently was this ability not to have windows in the bidding round for Glastir and have just an open period where people could, all year round, apply for support to plant new forestry. Have you given any consideration to this? Because it was an area that didn’t get touched on in...
Andrew RT Davies: Regrettably, this does seem to be regulation by e-mail, to be honest, with a press story, rather than a proper assessment, because, obviously, the Government, to its credit, had been working with the industry and had indicated that they'd reached a satisfactory accommodation with the industry on how a voluntary approach would be best suited to tackle these pollution incidences. I accept the...
Andrew RT Davies: But what is concerning is that there was no regulatory impact assessment done before you brought these proposals forward, because surely that should be done to assess, as I put to you earlier, the economic, environmental, social and cultural impacts that these proposals could have. And it's deeply alarming that no impact assessment was undertaken, because this potentially could shut down many...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Minister, you've brought forward the proposals for new regulations to reduce water pollution. Obviously, we all want to see a better environment and a cleaner environment. These new regulations are in effect a cut-and-paste of the nitrate vulnerable zones regulations, and they will be applied across the whole of Wales if they are implemented. What...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Minister, for that answer, and I note the keyword you said there—'core' to your policies. But yet many Members—I think all Members—might well have received this letter from retired former employees of Natural Resources Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales and other bodies who have an interest in this particular area, which highlights what they believe is the lack of...
Andrew RT Davies: 2. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's priorities for the future of national nature reserves in Wales? OAQ53653
Andrew RT Davies: 4. Will the Minister outline how the Welsh Government intends to create an economically vibrant forestry sector in Wales? OAQ53652
Andrew RT Davies: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the environmental impact assessment in relation to the Barry incinerator? OAQ53655
Andrew RT Davies: 1. Will the First Minister make a statement in response to today’s High Court’s decision regarding the QC-led inquiry into the dismissal of Carl Sargeant? 293
Andrew RT Davies: Organiser, could we have a statement—I think it could be your good self I'm directing this at, but I'll be directed by you in return—over the commercial advertising that the Welsh Government places with local radio stations? In my own area, I have three local radio stations, and they're all well subscribed, they are. In fact, Bro Radio, based in Barry, is celebrating its tenth anniversary...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. One of the projects, obviously, that are identified in the city deal is the link between junction 34 and the A48 at Sycamore Cross. This is a deal that's been on the table for some time, this improvement, and, as you can understand, many residents are concerned about the proposals—in particular, the property blight that's been caused by some of the...
Andrew RT Davies: 3. Will the First Minister make a statement on the progress of the Cardiff capital region city deal? OAQ53654
Andrew RT Davies: No, you haven't.
Andrew RT Davies: So, the First Minister's wrong, you say.
Andrew RT Davies: I couldn't agree more with the sentiments that were expressed by the Member for Ogmore. Something none of us wants to see is that situation of civil unrest unfolding. In response to the questions from the Conservative spokesperson, which I thought were very legitimate, in fairness, we can argue about what's going on at the other end of the M4, but this is Assembly question time, and this...
