Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful for the Member giving me time in his debate, because it is vitally important that, as someone who grew up riding horses—not as proficiently as a certain Member of Parliament who's taking a vacation in a certain jungle at the moment—I was one of those who was out mucking out horses et cetera, and I understand the industry; it's absolutely alive and well in the rural parts of...
Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful to all those who contributed towards the formation of this committee's report. As we've heard already this afternoon, this is an issue of huge pertinence to families and households right across Wales. But as this report rightly notes, the escalation in the cost of living is being felt even more acutely in Wales's rural communities, such as those in my own constituency of...
Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful to Cefin Campbell for tabling this question, specifically in relation to the significance of strong inter-governmental relations between the UK, Welsh, and, of course, local governments. Minister, on the topic of inter-governmental discussions, I'm sure you and your colleagues will be aware of the transformational bid for the Celtic freeport. If selected, freeport status in...
Samuel Kurtz: I’m grateful to the Government for allocating time to debate this important report, and I’d like to echo the Minister’s words and pay tribute to Aled Roberts. Aled was an excellent person, not only a talented politician, but a compassionate public servant who was willing to stand up for our Welsh-speaking communities. He understood what our language has to offer modern Wales as we look...
Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful to you, Minister, for your statement this afternoon. I was indeed particularly pleased to hear the reference to the number of current initiatives, including the one in Carmarthenshire County Council and this newly developed nutrient calculator and the restoration of critical habitats. As you note, a thriving water environment is essential for supporting healthy communities,...
Samuel Kurtz: Can I please ask for a statement from yourself as rural affairs Minister and the Minister for Climate Change on the eye-watering increases to the Natural Resources Wales regulatory fees and charges? As per the NRW consultation on permits and licences, the increases will be set out across several charging regimes from April 2023 and include a tenfold increase in the cost of new applications...
Samuel Kurtz: Thanks to the generosity of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, over an acre of land has been gifted to the local community to grow their own fruit and vegetables, enabling some 40 Pembrokeshire residents from across all generations to tend to their own piece of land. The project has been spearheaded by Grŵp Resilience, a community-led operation, which aims to foster self-reliance and...
Samuel Kurtz: I would like to begin this afternoon's contribution by echoing the comments of all my fellow committee members by thanking everyone who contributed and the clerking team in compiling this report. It comes at an incredibly pivotal time for the hospitality and tourism industry, especially within the context of incoming Welsh Government legislation, so I'm pleased we are given the opportunity to...
Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful to the Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr for submitting this question, because many of the circumstances that he described are applicable to my constituency of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire as well. But it's also important to note that, for many rural households, their home also acts as a place of business, and this is incredibly important for those in the...
Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate. My constituency of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire has a proud military history dating back over centuries. The town of Pembroke Dock has been home to all three constituent parts of our armed forces. For 113 years, from 1815, it housed a royal dockyard that built five royal yachts and 263 Royal Navy ships. For 120 years in...
Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful to the Minister for giving me advance sight of this afternoon's statement, especially as she's had a very busy day on the front bench. This strain of bird flu, H5N1, is rightly a matter of serious concern. Indeed, we are witnessing infections right across our bird populations, from wild to kept birds. This disease does not respect borders, nor does it adhere to many conventional...
Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful to the Minister for her statement this afternoon, and one specific point that I picked up on was the clarification around the use of blue hydrogen as a transition towards the use of green hydrogen. And the Minister will be aware that, earlier today in my FMQ, I spoke about floating offshore wind and the possibilities of that off the south Pembrokeshire coast, and how that...
Samuel Kurtz: Diolch, Trefnydd. A couple of weeks ago, RenewableUK Cymru marked Wales wind energy week by hosting a reception here in the Senedd. Trefnydd, I'm sure that you'll have been bored of me taking every opportunity since my election to repeatedly highlight the exciting opportunity and potential that lies off the south Pembrokeshire coast in the Celtic sea in regard to renewable energy,...
Samuel Kurtz: 9. What is the Welsh Government doing to promote renewable energy generation? OQ58642
Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful to my colleagues for tabling this motion, especially given that this Saturday marks World Stroke Day 2022. As Mark Isherwood mentioned in his opening remarks, on average, 7,400 people a year in Wales will experience a stroke, the fourth leading cause of death in this country. Therefore, the importance of fast-acting, excellent-quality stroke services cannot and should not be...
Samuel Kurtz: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I congratulate Sam Rowlands on his success in being drawn in the ballot and I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate on his outdoor education (Wales) Bill. As someone who was fortunate enough to grow up in rural Pembrokeshire with the countryside just outside my front door, I was always fortunate to enjoy the full extent of our natural world....
Samuel Kurtz: I would say to you and your officials that the evidence given by the Member representing common land at the committee last week was exceptional. I would really urge you and your team to look at that as a starting point as to the concerns of those linked with common land. Finally, Minister, I’m sure that you share my joy in seeing the growth of Wales’s food and drink manufacturing sector,...
Samuel Kurtz: I’m grateful for that. Secondly, in scrutinising the agriculture Bill, very same committee that I sit on have taken evidence from farming unions and environmental non-governmental organisations, where despite there being differences of opinion, there is a general consensus and agreement. But having taken evidence from the Tenant Farmers Association and the Mynydd Eglwysilan, Mynydd Meio and...
Samuel Kurtz: Minister, can I firstly begin by paying tribute to Christianne Glossop, who served as Wales's chief veterinary officer for 17 years before standing down earlier this month? She has served under a number of rural affairs Ministers, and I'm sure that you will join me in putting our gratitude for her service on the record and wishing her the very best for the future. I'd also like to refer...
Samuel Kurtz: Thank you, Minister. I recently had the opportunity, and the pleasure, indeed, to visit Dogs Trust Cymru at their state-of-the-art rehoming centre here in Cardiff Bay. The team do a marvellous job of rehabilitating, reassuring and rehoming the dogs, which, for a variety of reasons have been left unwanted by their previous owners. Whilst at the centre, I met several good dogs that had been,...
