2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:33 pm on 10 July 2018.

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Photo of Darren Millar Darren Millar Conservative 2:33, 10 July 2018

Leader of the house, can I call for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs on big cat sightings in Wales? The leader of the house may be aware that there was a further big cat sighting in north Wales just over 10 days ago on the A5, and that's in addition to, of course, the 10 big cat sightings between 2011 and 2016 reported to North Wales Police—a number of which have been recorded by the Welsh Government. I'm sure that you will agree with me that we do need to understand whether there is a population of big cats in the Welsh countryside. There have been sightings in my own constituency in and around the Clocaenog forest and, of course, many farmers are concerned about the safety of their livestock as a result of these animals, should they be in the Welsh countryside. So, I wonder whether the Welsh Government can make a statement on whether they will be commissioning any further research into this subject, in order that we can establish whether there is a population in Wales and what risk they may pose to livestock and the public.