2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:41 pm on 14 January 2020.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 2:41, 14 January 2020

I thank Jenny Rathbone for raising both of those issues. On the first, obviously, Welsh Government is investing additional funding through our most recently published draft budget, which looks to support and increase the use of electric vehicles here in Wales. But, alongside this, we're also preparing for hydrogen opportunities that we expect to come forward over the next five to 10 years. Stakeholder activities include the development of the south Wales industrial cluster, National Grid and their zero 2050 innovation project, the development of activities at the Baglan energy park, to which Jenny Rathbone referred—and that's part of the south-west Wales growth deal—together with the detailed design of hybrid hydrogen solutions in Pembrokeshire. Alongside this, consultancy support is being provided to the North Wales Economic Ambition Board to help assess the hydrogen opportunities for north Wales as part of the growth deal development of programmes and projects covering both heat, power and transport. We're also working with Monmouthshire County Council and the Gwent local authorities to facilitate research on the potential opportunities to maximise the Riversimple hydrogen trials that are currently taking place in Monmouthshire as well. So, there's a good body of work being undertaken in this area to ensure that we are in the right place to be able to maximise our response to the opportunities there.

On the issue of Extinction Rebellion, the Wales extremism and counter-terrorism unit inform us that Prevent policing do not classify Extinction Rebellion as an extremist group or ideology. Clearly, it's not a proscribed organisation, and, consequently, association with it or membership of it is clearly no kind of criminal offence, and I've seen suggested in the media that it might be. We really do welcome the fact that young people are speaking out against climate change, and we want all of our children and young people to become ethical, informed members of our society, because those are the principles that are very much guiding our new curriculum as well.

But, in terms of Welsh Government's relationship with Extinction Rebellion, I know the Minister with responsibility for energy, environment and rural affairs particularly meets with them, and we have ongoing discussion with the organisation. We find those discussions very, very informative and useful.