3. 2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:55 pm on 11 July 2017.

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Photo of Mr Simon Thomas Mr Simon Thomas Plaid Cymru 2:55, 11 July 2017

(Translated)

Thank you, Llywydd. May I ask for two statements from the Government before the end of term, because there’s no time for discussions or debates now? First of all, what assessment has the Government made of the importance of Euratom in terms of works in Wales? In particular, of course, we have two nuclear sites, but there’s also nuclear waste being stored in sites in Wales, and, of course, the use of nuclear material within the health service is also related to the regulations discussed and agreed at a European level through the Euratom mechanisms. The letter to withdraw from the European Union, that famous letter on article 50, mentioned withdrawal from Euratom too, although that agreement goes back much further than the agreement to take us into the European Union. I think it is now important that the Welsh Government should set out its position clearly in terms of the assessment that they have made in relation to the relationship with Euratom and our work in Wales and how we can continue in that process as we exit the European Union.

And the second statement I’d like to hear, particularly with the Royal Welsh Show about to take place—well with lots of agricultural shows taking place, but the Sioe Fawr specifically in the next fortnight or so—is a statement from the Government as to when we are likely to see the rural development plan opening for organic farming and transition to organic farming. We, now, in Wales are the only country within the UK who do not have an organic conversion programme. The increase in organic farming and purchasing of organic produce is 7 per cent per year. Every pound spent produces £21 in trade in organics, and it seems very strange to me that we still need to spend that European funding before we exit the European Union while the Government has been sitting on its hands as far as opening an organic conversion scheme is concerned. I don’t want that to continue over the summer without some sort of answer and particular guidance from the Cabinet Secretary as to when this programme will be open here in Wales.