Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 3:09 pm on 30 November 2022.
Thank you for that response. I too share your frustration that the UK Government has gone back on its word in terms of expenditure post Brexit. The Minister will be aware of the excellent work that's been done under the LEADER programme. I'm particularly grateful to Menter Môn in my constituency for the innovative work that they've led in drawing down funds and starting projects through LEADER. They've written to the Minister—and the Minister will be aware of that—on behalf of the local action groups, raising concerns about the fact that we have no assurance as to what will happen after 2023. Plans are being developed by DEFRA for England, for some sort of rural levelling-up programme in England. There's a suggestion that the shared prosperity fund could be used, but that offers no sort of consistency of expenditure nor an ability to be strategic in the longer term. So, does the Minister agree with me that we need assurances now that these plans, and the structures that have enabled the LEADER programme to develop, will not come to an end quickly after 2023?