6. 6. Debate by the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee on its Report on the Future of Agricultural and Rural Development Policies in Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:14 pm on 28 June 2017.

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Photo of Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Labour 5:14, 28 June 2017

All of which, the report suggests, could lead to a 5 to 8 per cent increase in costs. So, in terms of what we can do in Wales in future to support agriculture, I was extremely interested to read in the report about the restrictions that may be imposed by the WTO in relation to how, and to what extent, future payments can be made to farmers, and the restrictions, in particular, of environmental schemes that are limited to income forgone for the compliance scheme in question. This could massively curtail our room for manoeuvre in terms of support. I think this is a real worry. I would ask the Cabinet Secretary if this is an area that the Welsh Government is exploring. I’d like to, finally, thank the committee for its work. In particular, I’d like to thank the former Chair for his work; I hear that he’s done a very good job as Chair of the committee. And I would like to wish the new Chair, Mike Hedges, all the best for what I think is an essential area for rural communities.