7. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Hendry review? OAQ(5)0412(FM)

We welcome it as it supports the case for developing a tidal lagoon energy industry in the UK and for the specific recognition it gives to the Welsh projects already under development around the Welsh coast.

Thank you for that. I think we all welcome it—you, me and other Assembly Members in this Chamber. What we don’t need, of course, is the issue of the marine licence holding up any progress. Bearing in mind that I raised the delay with the marine licence with you in September 2015, how often has your Government chased NRW to come forward with that licence in the last 16 months, and what reason has NRW given you for its very late species impact report, which, presumably, will inform the decision?

NRW are an arm’s-length organisation and there is a limit to what we can appropriately say to them as they’re determining a marine licensing application, although I will say this: the application needs to be determined as swiftly as possible. I think we all understand in this Chamber the importance of the tidal lagoon, too, in terms of jobs. We do also need to see, of course, a firm commitment now from the UK Government in terms of the strike price in order to ensure that this very worth-while project goes ahead.

Question 8, Huw Irranca-Davies.

Diolch, Lywydd. We were delighted that Charles Hendry took the time to visit the Assembly last week and to brief Assembly Members—

You need to ask the question—

I apologise. [Laughter.]