2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:21 pm on 3 July 2018.

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Photo of Mr Simon Thomas Mr Simon Thomas Plaid Cymru 2:21, 3 July 2018

(Translated)

There’s already been discussion on the attitude of the owner of Trago Mills towards the Welsh language, and the First Minister, in response to Siân Gwenllian, said very clearly that he didn’t agree and was unhappy with such comments. But I would ask for a statement from the Minister for the Welsh language, or a letter, at least, to Members to explain exactly how this situation arose. This was an investment that was portrayed as an investment in the Merthyr area, and many people are now asking whether this company were given any support to invest in the area, and, if they were supported by Government or the local council, wasn’t respect for the heritage and language of the local community part of that investment?

Further to that—not to rehearse the questions that have already been asked about the legal status of the Welsh language—the attitude of this company towards other minorities, if I may say so, over the years, has also emerged. Something that I don’t want to repeat in this Chamber—some comments about gay people, for example. If this is the price that we have to pay for investment, then it’s worth us retaining our respect and telling these investors where to go, perhaps. But, specifically, I want to understand from Government what the Government’s involvement was with this investment. Has the Minister now contacted Trago Mills and can she share that with us? I know that the language commissioner has done that, but I would like to know what the Government has done about this.

The second issue I want to raise with you is the fact that there is a carbon dioxide shortage at the moment. It’s made the front pages in terms of the shortage of beer for the World Cup, but there is something far more important happening in the food industry at the moment. A shortage of carbon dioxide means that it’s not possible to package meat so that it can remain fresh, or use carbon dioxide as a means of stunning animals—it's not the electrocution method that's used, but carbon dioxide, as a gas, is used now to stun animals, and there is a question of animal welfare arising in that regard. So, could we have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary on the use of carbon dioxide in terms of animal health and food packaging and an assurance that this is still being done to the expected standards in Wales? Secondly, this highlights just how difficult withdrawal from the European Union will be, because this carbon dioxide shortage does reflect the chain through some five factories in Western Europe that produce the gas to the standard that is expected. Is the Welsh Government now having discussions with the Westminster Government in terms of preparing to ensure a sufficient supply before we leave the European Union and post exit?