3. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:54 pm on 5 March 2019.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 2:54, 5 March 2019

Thank you for raising those issues. Certainly, the first that you mentioned related to the pressing environmental and climate change challenges that we are all more than aware of. Certainly, our Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 does compel us to not only think differently but very much act differently in terms of the decisions that we take as a Welsh Government, but also that the public bodies beyond the Welsh Government take. Of course, the Minister will be making a statement in due course on the 'Brexit and our land' consultation, which certainly looks at the important role that farming has to play in terms of protecting our natural resources here in Wales, and farming in a responsible way, because, of course, the question was about food production when you asked it.

In terms of veterans, I'm really pleased to hear that the Ministry of Defence has now begun to issue veterans with an ID card and that will certainly recognise the time that they have spent in the services and enable them to access some of the services that we have specifically for veterans. Veterans should be able to have priority access to health services if their condition is as a result of the service that they've given to our country, and that certainly applies to mental health services as well as meeting physical health needs. So, if there are particular issues in the case of the gentleman you describe that you would wish to raise with the Minister, then I'm sure that they would be keen to respond.

In terms of the free school meals issue, I know that we have consulted widely on proposals and provided significant additional funding to enable us to take the steps that we are with regard to the future of free school meals and the way that we address the needs of children in those families. The decisions we have taken will actually increase the number of children who are able to benefit from it. But of course, our concern is about those families and those children who are on the cusp of receiving services and support. So, I will ask the Minister to write to you with some further information on our approach there.