Lesley Griffiths: Unfortunately, the diesel spillage affected the Burry inlet cockle fishery, which is managed by Natural Resources Wales. Recent samples of shellfish were found to be safe for human consumption and therefore the cockle beds have reopened. A stakeholder group has been established to assess the impact on the local cockle picking industry.
Lesley Griffiths: Yes, absolutely, I'll give that commitment and, certainly, as part of the offshore wind sector deal, we're working with industry and partners to capture the economic benefits from investments in new projects. The Member might be aware that Welsh Government is a member of the offshore energy alliance, which is a north Wales-north-west England group of industry players and stakeholders. That...
Lesley Griffiths: Ynys Mȏn is leading the way in innovation for flexible and smart electricity networks. It is a hub for tidal stream development and, together with opportunities in offshore and floating wind, nuclear and hydrogen, Ynys Môn has the potential to be a global leader in established and innovative energy technologies.
Lesley Griffiths: I think the Member completely misses the point about the facility that's been brought forward in the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Flintshire. The idea was to support more sustainable packaging. People are far more keen to have a look at what ingredients, for instance, are in their food and what we need to bring forward is a really good packaging centre, and I'm afraid I don't...
Lesley Griffiths: Our overarching ambition is to create a more prosperous, equal and greener Wales. In planning recovery from the pandemic, we are determined to take forward a green recovery that will improve outcomes for Wales, generate a more sustainable and resilient future economy, tackle the climate emergency and address declines in biodiversity.
Lesley Griffiths: No, I don't. I have to say, my focus is not on British farming, it's on Welsh farming. We've done a great deal of work to support the agricultural sector, particularly since 2016, following the referendum to leave the European Union. So, we want to make our agricultural sector and our farmers and their businesses as competitive and as sustainable as possible. We've put significant...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. Welsh Government remain fully committed to supporting farmers after exiting the EU. I have confirmed the level of basic subsidy will be unchanged in 2021 and recently announced over £106 million of investment in a range of schemes over the next three years to support farming and our rural economy.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Huw, for raising those points, and I'll certainly be very happy to have a look at the manifesto. Some of the things you refer to—you'll be aware my colleague Lee Waters made a statement yesterday around tackling pavement parking, the Welsh Government's put significant funding into active travel over this term of Government, but we increased that funding during the COVID-19...
Lesley Griffiths: Yes, I agree with the points that David Melding has made. Dai Lloyd referred to the fact that I launched the plan on Cardiff streets, but I launched it on Castle Street, which, obviously, has been closed to traffic, and it was a very sunny day, and it was good to see families out enjoying, using that street in a different way. I think you're quite right that one of the benefits—I suppose we...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. And I was very pleased to attend your cross-party group last week, or the week before—I can't quite remember now—and I think it was very important that we recognise Clean Air Day, not in the way that we were able to last year, but I was really proud to be able to support that key initiative. As you say, I did launch the clean air plan in August, and it is does set out the key...
Lesley Griffiths: We regularly assess air quality in line with statutory requirements. Recently, we commissioned a study to assess impacts of COVID-19 on air quality. This showed a mixed picture with levels of some pollutants decreasing and others increasing. We continue to assess the situation to inform and develop future actions.
Lesley Griffiths: It is really important that we keep our farmers on the land, because that is one way of protecting the Welsh language. I've done a significant amount of work, while I've been in portfolio, to encourage young farmers. Aberystwyth University I visited, and Harper Adams University, which, obviously, is just outside of Wales, to ensure that the courses that they're offering are certainly...
Lesley Griffiths: I am very aware of the 'Iaith y Pridd' report, which was recently published by Farming Connect, and the views expressed by participants and published in the report will add to our evidence base as we consider and develop our future proposals for supporting the sector as we leave the common agricultural policy. I thought it was really important to fund that piece of work, through Farming...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. We were certainly very concerned about seasonal agricultural workers not being able to come to the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. Right at the beginning, probably back in April, I was involved in weekly discussions with the UK Government around this issue. Certainly, as we continue to go through the year, as you say, it's not just fruit pickers or vegetable pickers; there are...
Lesley Griffiths: Diolch. Agriculture plays a key role in supporting the Welsh language to thrive in our rural communities. By supporting farmers to manage their land's sustainability, our proposals balance the needs of the current generation with those of the next whilst supporting the resilience of Welsh-speaking communities.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. You highlight two areas of great concern, and those were around our animal welfare and food standards. Of course, you are quite right; they are under threat, and the UK Government did have the opportunity to protect them in legislation and didn't do so on Monday evening with the amendments that went through the House of Lords. Your point about information not being shared with us,...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. The Welsh Government's strategy is to increase the production of fruit and vegetables in an environmentally sustainable way, in line with the objectives of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
Lesley Griffiths: The Member will be aware that, earlier this year—around Easter time—I laid draft agricultural pollution regulations. At the time, and probably for the previous three years, when agricultural pollution was discussed, I made it very clear that we would look to support our farmers if they were looking for new infrastructure, for example, in order to deal with agricultural pollution and to...
Lesley Griffiths: Well, I don't want to predict what NRW will say. I'm not aware of the comments to which you refer in a public meeting last week. I obviously wasn't there myself. I can't pre-empt any recommendations that NRW come forward with until they do.
Lesley Griffiths: Janet Finch-Saunders quotes figures from 2005 and 2010. Certainly when I was planning Minister a few years back, this was something that I asked planning officials to look at for me, because we were seeing that cumulative effect that Janet Finch-Saunders refers to. I'm happy that NRW are monitoring in the way that they should be, but if she has, again, any specific concerns, I'd be very happy...
