As a Member of the committee that scrutinised this Bill, I stand here to make some comments. There is no doubt that we need a national development plan, and underneath that, there's no doubt that we probably need a strategic development plan. But I'm going to raise my voice in support of communities that might feel somewhat removed from that process.

I note that the local government and elections Bill does have a mechanism for the development and establishment of a strategic development plan, and would be delivered by corporate joint committees, and that's made up of representatives from more than one local authority. Whilst I do support that, I think it's absolutely critical that we put in a system and a process to ensure that those representatives are, indeed, reflecting the views and the principles of the local communities that they serve. And I think that it is absolutely important that the frustrations of the current planning Act are not repeated. Over and over again we've seen development not able to go forward because there was no local development plan, and that, clearly, is not a good place to be in terms of trying to get any investment into that area.

I do want to welcome the fact that the neighbouring local authorities are considered when strategic plans are drawn up. The Minister, when she gave evidence, gave the example of Ystradgynlais, which is, of course, in mid and west Wales, as an area where connectivity into the Swansea city bay area is as good as its connectivity back into that area. Particularly when we talk about Powys and Ceredigion joining together in an economic development area, which, again, I support, it's about those peripheral areas that are joining other areas. Powys is a particular example where, along its very long periphery, it will abut many other areas, including some parts of England. So, it is really important that that is taken note of.

The biggest challenge, of course, is outlined in building back green and blue into the economy. When we look at the alternative energies that are writ large in this, if we particularly look at the offshore energy developments, there will have to be, in all cases, access back to the land. I know that the Minister has made it quite clear that this has to be read alongside the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009). Nonetheless, the two have to work together. Otherwise, we cannot have the energy that we all hope to have—the new green energy—without that joining up together.

I do have to say that I support what Jenny Rathbone, and, I think, others have said here today, that we have to absolutely ensure the integrity of Natura 2000 sites. We must absolutely avoid, as a result of any implementation of policies within 'Future Wales', the degradation of biodiversity. It is never going to be good enough that we maintain things as they are, because to maintain things as they are, in terms of biodiversity, is only to keep us behind the loop, when, actually, what we need to do is restore what we've got to a pre-existing state, before it was degraded in the very first place. Thank you.