Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:40 pm on 7 December 2021.
Llywydd, I thank Peter Fox for that. I am familiar with Câr-y-Môr, but more in the south-west Wales context, in the Solva and St David's area, and it is a very fine example of a commercial enterprise, but with strong community roots, looking to start the first commercial seaweed and shellfish farm in Wales. I think the things that they have said to Peter Fox probably are true: a better understanding of that new model and what community benefit societies can do, particularly a better understanding amongst potential commercial investors, so that they're not reliant either on their ability to raise money from very local communities or through the Welsh Government. There's genuine potential for commercial investment in some of these ideas as well. I'm perfectly happy, Llywydd, to ask my officials to meet with Câr-y-Môr to hear directly from them about their own experience, and then to see what more we can do to promote the understanding of community benefit societies, and look for new ways in which they can be further promoted in Wales.