6. What plans does the Welsh Government have to improve agricultural land in Wales? OAQ53928

Llywydd, 'Brexit and our land' sets out the Welsh Government's proposals to support Welsh farmers in securing benefits from our land in a wide variety of ways. That includes sustainable food production and improving habitats and biodiversity.

First Minister, Labour's local development plan is concreting and trashing acre upon acre of prime agricultural land in Cardiff West. When we first said that this was going to happen, you said that our scaremongering was 'disgraceful'—WalesOnline, there.

We now have a situation where the wealthy Earl of Plymouth Estates Limited is trying to throw people off the land that they have farmed for generations. The Rees family on Maes y Llech farm won't just lose their livelihoods, they'll also lose their home. A question would be whether or not you've helped the Rees family. Since you choose not to answer questions, I'll give you the answer myself: you have done nothing. So, the question is: will you, firstly, apologise to the Rees family for misleading them by saying that the fields were not going to be built on? Will you apologise, secondly, to the Rees family for not helping them? Thirdly, will you undertake to assist the Rees family in staying on the land that the family has farmed for generations?

Llywydd, I agree that scaremongering is disgraceful, and it's disgraceful when it's repeated in the Chamber. The Member has no insight into the work that is done with individuals, nor should he. How is it that he thinks he is in a position to use individual people's data to make remarks on the floor of this Assembly? [Interruption.] 

Allow the First Minister to answer the question. [Interruption.] Allow the First Minister to answer the question. 

Llywydd, I say again: how is it that the Member thinks that he has access to data that is held by other people? The Welsh Government has a consultation on agricultural tenancy reform, which the Member may have known about. It's open for 12 weeks. It will close on 2 July. It will explore changes to regulations in the field of agricultural tenancies. It will look to update the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 and the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 to make sure that where people have rights that need to be upheld in law, the law in Wales is in a fit state for that to take place.   

First Minister, obviously the Government are considering the consultation responses from 'Brexit and our land'. It is imperative that, if we are to protect agricultural land, conservation and the productivity of that land to produce our food are held in equal weight. Can you confirm that Welsh Government look at both aspects as being important in the future of maintaining the quality of Welsh agricultural land and the viability of the Welsh rural economy? 

I'm very happy to confirm exactly that. Llywydd, 'Brexit and our land' sets out a future for Welsh farming in which food production remains a central part of what farmers are about, but also rewards farmers for the production of public goods as well. The work that farmers do to protect our environment, to improve agricultural land, to improve water quality, to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions—all of those are things that the future of farming will depend upon, and holding those two things together is part of what 'Brexit and our land' set out to do. Andrew Davies will know that the Minister is committed to a further publication before the Royal Welsh Show this year, and we look forward to going on having the very close and detailed engagement that we have had with the farming unions, and with other farming interests, as we take these proposals further forward.