9. 6. Statement: The Food and Drink Industry

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:25 pm on 22 November 2016.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 5:25, 22 November 2016

(Translated)

May I say that Eluned Morgan is doing a dangerous thing in starting to list companies in her region before the Member for Anglesey gets up to speak? Because I could speak at length about Melyn Môn, Y Cwt Mwg, Y Cwt Caws and Halen Môn—but I won’t do so. But the truth is, of course, that there are far too many relatively small food producers—some are larger—on Anglesey, and what I’m interested in doing, not only in my own constituency but the length and breadth of Wales, is to develop the industry as a whole, whilst we are also promoting those individual businesses. And of course, I welcome the fact that there is a pot of funding—£2.8 million—available for companies, where they can bid for capital funding for development. But, given that we’re to meet relatively soon to discuss some ideas that I have on the development of a food production park on Anglesey, does the Cabinet Secretary agree with me that, along with assisting existing businesses to grow, we need to develop infrastructure for food production on Anglesey and across Wales? There is no property that companies can rent that is of a high enough quality to produce food in my constituency, which is the mother of Wales because of its history in producing food and will continue to be so, if it’s given the right support at the right time by the Government and others.