Janet Finch-Saunders: 5. What discussions has the Counsel General had with other law officers regarding the full legislative devolution of justice to Wales? OQ55723
Janet Finch-Saunders: Minister, this is not the first time that I've had to raise with you the negative impact that your county-wide economic lockdown is having on my constituents in Aberconwy: retailers taking as little as £6.50 a day despite overheads of thousands; hoteliers desperately worrying about their business and, indeed, their own mental health. Our local authority's extremely vulnerable to serious...
Janet Finch-Saunders: And to be here.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Llywydd, 5 to 18 October marks Wool Week 2020. The aim is to promote the virtues of and foster greater use of this exceptional natural material. In fact, if there was a material category in the Royal Welsh Show, I tell you, wool would always win the red rosette. It is natural, renewable, biodegradable, an insulator, hygroscopic, breathable, resilient, elastic, trans-seasonal, easy-care,...
Janet Finch-Saunders: For me, the concern is that there's a real risk of our farmers being negatively portrayed. Poultry producers are highly monitored and routinely inspected, but it must also be acknowledged that when applying for IPUs, applicants have to undertake steps such as conservation plans, manure management plans, and pollution prevention plans. The River Axe catchment in Devon has used a three-year...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. Many concerns have been raised with me across Wales generally in terms of intensive poultry units—not so much about them being there, but how they're actually regulated and monitored. Now, there are around 8.5 million chickens on permitted units in Powys. Around 77,000 people have signed a change.org petition 'Save the River Wye!' and they're demanding a moratorium on all new...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Diolch, Llywydd. Good afternoon, Minister. There are 119 intensive poultry units in Wales with 40,000 or more birds. One hundred and sixteen of these are in Powys. Natural Resources Wales's Powys poultry pilot study—an assessment of cumulative atmospheric releases—found that smaller, non-regulated, but covered-under-planning poultry units do have a greater impact on the local ammonia...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the Minister make a statement on the use of marine conservation zones in Wales?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Oh, okay.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Well, this is a problem that's blighted my community in Aberconwy right from when I was a town councillor, to county councillor, to where I am now, and I've been here—as Llyr corrected me earlier—nearly 10 years. So, I really welcome your statement. It's quite sad to see people—. We have an older demographic in Aberconwy and it really is sad when—. You tend to think kerb parking,...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I would like to thank the Deputy Minister for her statement and to join with her in acknowledging the excellent work that our local authorities have carried out during the collection systems, of course, through this pandemic. In your 'Beyond Recycling' strategy, you state that to enable a zero-waste and low carbon Wales, 'regional and accessible infrastructure and community hubs are needed to...
Janet Finch-Saunders: COVID-19, of course, is impacting on our courts and enforcement authorities from two directions: the actual virus and the burden of the regulations. Now, here in Cardiff, the jury in the trial of a man alleged to have been involved in a shooting incident has been discharged after one of their number reported coronavirus symptoms. Enforcement officers can recommend prosecution in a...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will you be pressing the Minister for Health and Social Services and, indeed, the First Minister to look at the figures again and bring this lockdown to an end ASAP? Thank you.
Janet Finch-Saunders: I would like to raise my concerns about inward investment in Conwy during this enforced economic lockdown by your Government. You must be aware that these actions are having a devastating impact on my constituents and businesses in Aberconwy: the tourism sector has only had two months to trade to see them through the winter; the queen of Welsh resorts now described as a ghost town; hoteliers...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the Minister make a statement on employers' access to public funds in light of COVID-19?
Janet Finch-Saunders: According to the explanatory memorandum, DEFRA engaged with representatives of the landfill, incineration and recycling sector, and the measures were broadly welcomed. Importantly, as noted in the statutory instrument consent memorandum, it is appropriate for the SI to make the provisions, because there is a need to amend out-of-date references to European law. The Waste (England and Wales)...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. The United Kingdom is committed to moving towards a more circular economy, which will see us keeping resources in use as long as possible, extracting maximum value from them, minimising waste, and promoting resource efficiency. In fact, the UK is already a global leader, with a resources and waste strategy setting out a comprehensive and ambitious plan to transform the waste...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. I cannot emphasise enough how important the Fire Safety Bill is, and as such, I want on record my dismay that this LCM has only been allocated 15 minutes on today's agenda. Such an important issue as fire safety actually deserves more time and debate in this Parliament—a measure that would've certainly reflected the keen interest taken by the Equality, Local Government and...
Janet Finch-Saunders: As a nation with a proud seafaring tradition, the importance of this Fisheries Bill cannot be overstated. Our relationship with the sea has not only helped to shape our nation's history but also our culture. This LCM acknowledges that there needs to be a UK-wide approach to create the fisheries framework, which can only be done through a UK Bill. It enables the Welsh Government to act...
Janet Finch-Saunders: That remains to be seen, Minister, because in 2012 the Welsh Government approved a project to remove asbestos and refurbish Glan Clwyd Hospital. The project was completed in 2019, at a cost of £170 million—55 per cent more than the original budget. Now, in the Auditor General for Wales's report, the findings are scathing: the Welsh Government never formally approved the health board's...
