Questions from the party spokespeople.

Sorry about that pause. I was on the wrong part of my script.

Questions from the party spokespeople. Conservative spokesperson first of all, Darren Millar.

Diolch, Llywydd. In your capacity as Minister for north Wales, what action are you taking to unlock the moratorium on capital investment in roads in the region?

So, you will be aware that the Deputy Minister for Climate Change has brought forward a road review. That has not yet reported, but, obviously, once that reports, we can see what schemes will continue to proceed and we can look at the funding issues then.

Thank you for that answer, Minister, but many people in north Wales will not consider it to be good enough. The Labour Party made pre-election promises that it would deliver significant improvements to the trunk road network in north Wales. You said that you would deliver a Menai crossing—a third Menai crossing—but it's been put on hold. You said that you would remove roundabouts in Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr on the A55, and those projects have been put on hold. And you also said that you'd deliver on the promise to address congestion around Deeside, but that's been put on hold. So, these are big projects, which you've promised to deliver for the people of north Wales, which are now in the deep freeze as a result of the decisions being taken by this Government. People in north Wales would expect that, as the Minister for north Wales, you would be shouting out to unlock those projects and ensure their delivery. But isn't it the truth, I'm afraid to say, that this Labour Government simply doesn't care about north Wales, and that's why other projects are proceeding while these are on ice?

Well, Darren Millar knows that that is absolutely not true. I'm a Member from north-east Wales and I would never allow that to happen. The fact that we have a Minister for north Wales and we have had for a significant number of years, with a Cabinet sub-committee for north Wales, absolutely shows that, so please don't mislead in that way. You say that they're in the deep freeze; they're not in the deep freeze. There is currently a review going on. As you say, there were manifesto commitments made. This is a five-year Government, we're five months into it, so I don't think you can say that these things will not happen. There is a review process going on, and once the review process has reported and we see what goes on, then perhaps you can start shouting.

But given that they are manifesto commitment, and you've just suggested they'll be delivered within the five years of the Labour Government's term, why on earth would you put them in the deep freeze in the first place? The reality is that they should be progressing, because you've given a clear commitment. I accept what you say in terms of your care for north-east Wales: that is a place that you have ably represented for many years. But I'm afraid that the voice of north Wales around that Cabinet table doesn't appear to actually carry a great deal of clout, because if you look at the record of this Government on north Wales, our health service, the worst A&E performance of all of the health boards is the one that serves the north-Wales region. We've got the longest waiting times of the whole of Wales—in fact, amongst the worst in the whole of the United Kingdom. We know that local authorities, on average, in north Wales get worse settlements than other parts of the country, and we know that the road projects that have been put on ice in north Wales have been frozen while projects are still proceeding in south Wales and in other parts of the country. Doesn't that evidence clearly show that this is a Government that doesn't actually prioritise north Wales, that that's always the second on its list of priorities, and that it's actually time that this Government levelled up across the whole of Wales in order that we can have some fairness for our region in the north?

Well, there could be a short answer, and the short answer is 'no', but I will give you the benefit of the doubt and try and engage in a much more positive way with you. You are cherry-picking. So, you referred to local authorities, for instance. You know how local authorities are funded—you know that. It's a formula. We've just heard the Minister for Finance and Local Government explain to Members who, perhaps, weren't aware of the way local authorities are funded. It's a formula. It's a formula that's done—

That is unfair to north Wales.

It's a formula that is done with the Welsh Government and local authorities, and until local authorities request—. And I've been local government Minister and I was never met with a request to have a look at the formula, because they know, if you've got—[Interruption.] If you've got a list of 22 local authorities, somebody's going to be at the top and somebody's going to be at the bottom, and whatever formula you use, that will happen. That will happen. So, it's okay cherry-picking all these things.

Now, just to go back to the road review, which is the question you asked me in the beginning. You talk about 'putting on ice'. Now, I accept, at the moment, there is a road review, so these things have been put on ice—not in the deep freeze; they've been put on ice. And once that road review is published with the recommendations—[Interruption.] I know you've never been in Government here. A manifesto commitment covers five years; a programme for government covers five years. We are five months into that programme for government; there is plenty of time to continue to deliver for north Wales.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Cefin Campbell.

Thank you very much, Llywydd. The Minister will be aware that this is Wool Week, and last year, my fellow Member Llyr Gruffydd raised concerns with you about the state of the wool market in Wales. As a result of the pandemic, the decline in the wool market meant that farmers were paying around £1 to shear a sheep and only getting 19p or 20p back for every roll of wool. Now, thank goodness, the prices have gone up slightly since then, but it is far from being sufficient. It is clear, therefore, that we need to think about alternative ways of using wool in order to assist the industry. And wool, as everyone knows, has long been used as a very effective insulator. In light of the increasing attention given to climate change and improving our environment, the benefits of this become increasingly important to house builders and home owners. So, are you willing to consider supporting the wool industry in Wales and using wool to insulate the homes that the Government intends to build, including the retrofitting programme? Thank you very much.

You make some very pertinent points around the price of wool. I'm trying to think—I think it was the end of the last term of Government where we saw the wool prices really drop and I had meetings with the British wool authority to try and see what we could do to help Wales. I made representations to the UK Government along with ministerial colleagues from Scotland.

Certainly, the Minister for Climate Change, who obviously has responsibility for housing and for retrofitting, I know has had discussions around this, because, as you say, wool is a very good insulator. So, if that's one way we can continue to help support Welsh wool, we will certainly be looking to do that. I'm not sure how far the Minister has got with her discussions, but I know she has had initial discussions around this. 

Thank you very much. Scab is a very important issue, again in relation to sheep in terms of animal welfare, and it's an issue that hasn't had sufficient focus over recent years. It is an extensive and increasing problem, unfortunately. The Welsh Government announced that it was to allocate some £5 million to help eradicate sheep scab at the beginning of 2019. It was disappointing that, in November last year, it was announced that the £5 million would be diverted to support COVID programmes. The agricultural sector is very keen for the Welsh Government to restore this £5 million in an effort to eradicate sheep scab and to realise the commitment and promise you made to the industry. There is funding, as you know, in the rural development plan, and, in Plaid Cymru's view, the Government should allocate £5 million from that to help the industry to eradicate scab. So, will the Minister commit to adhere to her original pledge in order to tackle this important challenge?

I quite agree; sheep scab is a very complex and difficult disease. I don't think it's just down to the Welsh Government; I think it is down to the industry together. Certainly, we have been working together to do that. Unfortunately, because of decisions I had to take regarding the budget in relation to COVID, I wasn't able to put that funding forward, but certainly I am having discussions now about the next stage of the rural development plan, and I certainly can assure you and the industry that funding to assist in relation to eradication of sheep scab will be very high up in my priorities.

Thank you very much. And the final question: Members will be aware that last weekend was designated World Mental Health Day. Given their nature, rural communities can be very isolated, and as a result of the lack of opportunities for people to meet with others on a day-to-day basis, families can often suffer social isolation with mental health problems emerging from that. Unfortunately, 84 per cent of farmers under the age of 40 say that mental health issues are the biggest invisible challenge to farming in Wales. A report commissioned by the Prince's Countryside Fund has outlined how markets can secure a more healthy future for farmers and rural communities as places where people can meet and socialise. So, can the Minister outline what steps the Government is taking not only to help to support the mental health of farmers, but also to support the economic role that community centres such as markets play in providing social benefits, which are so important? 

Thank you. I think that is the most important of your three questions, and it's something that I've always taken a very close and particular interest in since I've been in this portfolio. Because whilst the agricultural sector and farming communities are some of the most close-knit groups I've ever met, you can see that when you're on a farm you sometimes are a bit isolated. Particularly during the pandemic, I think that's certainly been highlighted. So, I've given significant funding to agriculture mental health charities.

You asked at the end around markets, for instance, and one of the things is the funding that we were able to allocate to the DPJ Foundation. I'm sure you're aware of that charity. They looked at how they could train other people to recognise symptoms of mental health issues in places like farmers markets, where perhaps you wouldn't think, if you were a farmer with concerns, that you could be signposted to the most appropriate place. So, that's an area we've worked on. Also, we launched FarmWell during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was like a one-stop shop, where, if you accessed that, you would know where you could then go on to get further assistance.

I meet quite regularly with all the agricultural charities, and they all, I think, every single one of them—there were about half a dozen I met with regularly over the past 18 months—said that during the pandemic the referrals to them had increased. So, it's something I keep a very close eye on, and, if there's anything further I can do to help, I will certainly be happy to do so. 

Question 3 has been withdrawn. So, question 4, Siân Gwenllian. 

Question 3 [OQ57022] not asked.