National Parks

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:00 pm on 15 February 2023.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 2:00, 15 February 2023

Well, there was a 10 per cent uplift to the national park authorities' core grants, taking it to just over £10 million in 2021-22, and that has been maintained into 2022-23. And the aim of that was to provide greater resilience following the pandemic and also increase the impact of their activities around biodiversity, decarbonisation and sustainable tourism. Now, I do understand the pressures that national parks are under, and the Minister for Climate Change, again, whose portfolio in which this sits, has met with the chief executives to discuss these concerns, and officials are continuing to liaise with the national parks. As you say, the parks are currently conducting their exercises to develop saving plans, and I know that the Minister and her officials will be looking at those very closely in terms of determining the future.