Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:08 pm on 29 January 2019.
First Minister, Natural Resources Wales is key to delivering the Welsh Government's policy priorities for the environment. Last month, the results of staff consultation on plans by NRW to reorganise the agency were leaked to the BBC. The BBC reported that 62 per cent of staff were strongly opposed to the reorganisation plans and were highly critical of the process. A week ago, 10 timber firms said they had, in their words, no confidence in the ability of Natural Resources Wales to manage forestry following a damning report by the Public Accounts Committee into timber sales. First Minister, why is it that your Government still has confidence in Natural Resources Wales to deliver your environmental priorities when it is clear that Assembly Members, timber companies and NRW staff themselves do not? Thank you.