Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:58 pm on 28 February 2023.
I'm pleased to hear that the Welsh Government is committed to reducing the use of harmful pesticides, particularly when a threat is posed to human health, but science, technology and innovation can be the answer here, and that's why I was left frustrated that consent was not given to the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill. This legislation can aid our resilience against some of the most significant challenges ahead of us, including the protection of plants and crops against pests, diseases and climate change. By taking what occurs naturally over hundreds of years, precision breeding can expedite the process in a controlled, ethical and safe way, building that resilience in plants and crops and reducing our reliance upon harmful pesticides. Given this, can I ask if the Welsh Government is to bring forward Welsh legislation in this field to ensure that we can build that resilience into our crops, utilising Welsh academia such as the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University? Diolch.