5. What are the Welsh Government's plans for incentivising colleges to retain agricultural and environmental courses? OQ56767

A range of agricultural and environmental courses are available across a network of colleges in Wales. A collaborative, sector-wide approach is necessary to ensure provision across all land-based and related courses supports the changing demands and local economies, and that these embrace the diversification challenges of the sector.

I thank the Minister for that response. I've raised this question as I believe that, as we move forward in Wales on our recovery from the pandemic and on our commitment to become net-zero carbon by 2050, we, now more than ever, need to make sure we have the skilled people needed to feed our nation, manage our forestry, biodiversity and wider environment, and that needs all of our agriculture colleges to offer the courses needed and to be encouraged and incentivised, where needed, to do so. We heard yesterday from the deputy climate Minister about the plans to plant more trees, so it's important we have people who can do that. In my constituency, it's with great sadness that Coleg Gwent at its Usk campus has decided to pull back from agricultural and environment courses, including forestry. Young people in my constituency are already going to Herefordshire colleges to get the skills they need. This can't be right. Minister, can you do all you can to make sure these vital courses are provided across all of Wales, and work with FE providers, such as Coleg Gwent, to retain and, importantly, to market their offer? Thank you.

Well, I think the Member identifies a very important issue here in that the challenge that he's describing is happening against a landscape of rapid change in many ways, whether that's technological change or scientific change, whether it's the impact on the rural economy of, perhaps, workforce shortages, funding questions as a consequence of leaving the European Union and not having that funding replaced in the way that is was promised, or perhaps challenges from international trade. It's a very changing landscape and I think it's important that post-16 provision is cognisant and reflects that.

I'm aware that all colleges are completing or have engaged with Arad Research in setting up staff focus groups before the summer recess in order to feed into a sector-wide analysis about provision in this space, and I think it's really important that that set of discussions does reflect that technological and other change and that need for diversification. I'm looking forward to seeing the report that results from that process later on this year.