Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:42 pm on 28 September 2022.
Thank you. I'll pick up on that point first. As you say, it's just come back into my portfolio last week. I have asked for a meeting with Natural Resources Wales. On the work that the Minister for Climate Change had undertaken with NRW, I know that significant resources have been given in relation to ensuring that we do have that national park. Obviously, it was a manifesto commitment of my party; it's now a programme for government commitment. It's something that the First Minister is very keen to see in this term of Government, and we expect to see it in this term of Government. And I have asked for a meeting, which hasn't taken place as yet, but it is in my diary, I think, within the next three or four weeks. So, I will be very happy to update Members when I've had that meeting.
In relation to your first point, I cannot meet with every business to discuss every policy of every Cabinet colleague across the portfolio, and I'm sure that you will appreciate that. However, as north Wales Minister, as I say, I spend days dedicated to north Wales, and if any business wants to write to me, obviously they are very welcome to do that. And I did discuss the visitor levy with several businesses over the summer. For instance, I visited Dylan's in Llandudno to discuss their apprenticeship scheme, and took the opportunity proactively to ask their views.
You seem to think it's a really bad thing. I disagree. We have tourism taxes. Where I went on holiday this year, there was a tourism tax. Did I think twice about it? No, I didn't. I didn't have to think 'Well, I'm not going to go there because they've got a tourism tax.' If those taxes are spent wisely, it will absolutely boost tourism in north Wales, so I profoundly disagree with you on what you were saying, particularly about the Labour Party and the way that we treat businesses. Of course we're pro north Wales; you wouldn't expect me to say anything else, would you? I'm from north Wales and I'm very proud to be from north Wales, and this is not the bad thing that you seem to portray it to be.