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Group 8: Biodiversity targets: targets under new section 6B of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 (Amendments 40, 4, 5A, 5, 54, 6, 31, 42, 43, 45)
If I turn to amendment 5A in Janet's name and amendment 5 in Rhys's name, I'm afraid I can’t support these amendments, because linked to this is—. I support amendment 40, tabled by Delyth, to add 'restoring biodiversity to resilient levels' to the criteria in…
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Group 8: Biodiversity targets: targets under new section 6B of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 (Amendments 40, 4, 5A, 5, 54, 6, 31, 42, 43, 45)
Diolch, Llywydd. I'm very happy to rise to that challenge immediately, Alun, and we have discussed this previously. But I just want to lay out specifically what this legislation has done, why it has been so long awaited and so widely supported as well…
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Group 7: Office of Environmental Governance: representations and investigations (Amendments 38, 39, 2, 3)
Diolch, Llywydd. If I could turn to amendment 38 and consequential amendment 39 first of all, I do indeed support these amendments, because even though I believe they don't provide the OEGW with any additional functions, it's that question about being…
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Group 6: Office of Environmental Governance Wales: monitoring and reporting (Amendment 37)
Diolch yn fawr, Delyth. I understand why you are moving this, but I'm going to try and give you some reassurance here of why it's not necessary. The reports produced under section 12 of the Bill provide one of the bases for the OEGW to act where improvement…
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Group 5: Office of Environmental Governance Wales: strategy (Amendments 27, 34, 28, 29, 30)
Diolch, Llywydd. If I can turn, first of all, to amendment 27 in the name of Janet Finch-Saunders, this is, again, similar to an amendment that was tabled, debated and then rejected at Stage 2, but I'll explain why—our reasoning. The OEGW can rely on its…
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Group 4: Office of Environmental Governance Wales: general purpose (Amendments 36, 1, 47, 7)
Diolch, Llywydd. First of all, if I can turn to amendment 36 and the consequential amendment 47, the Bill as introduced and as amended at Stage 2 aligns the OEGW's general purpose with the environmental objective set out in section 1 of the Bill, which…
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Group 3: Office of Environmental Governance Wales: establishment and related matters (Amendments 33, 25, 46, 26, 32, 8, 48)
If I can turn then, having started on a positive, to amendment 25, which is an amendment similar to one that was tabled and rejected during Stage 2, the purpose of paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to the Bill, which this amendment would amend, is to disqualify…
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Group 3: Office of Environmental Governance Wales: establishment and related matters (Amendments 33, 25, 46, 26, 32, 8, 48)
Diolch, Llywydd. First of all, thanks to all Members for moving these amendments. It’s a bit of a mix here, so I'll try not to take too long, but I'm going to begin on the positive. I'm going to turn to Janet's amendment, first of all, amendment 33. Janet…
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Group 2: Environmental protection and improvement report (Amendment 53)
I'm going to try, in the way that we've done throughout the Committee Stage on this, to explain why I don't think this is needed. There are indeed ways that we can make this happen, but I understand the spirit in which this has been moved and what you're…
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Group 2: Environmental protection and improvement report (Amendment 53)
Thank you very much. Thank you, Delyth, and Janet as well.
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Group 1: Environmental principles and integrating environmental protection (Amendments 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
But I just want to be clear that we can only realise these opportunities if the Bill passes and if it passes in a form that's deliverable. The effective implementation requires legislation that is clear, workable, and grounded in the practical realities of…
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Group 1: Environmental principles and integrating environmental protection (Amendments 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd, and thank you, Janet, for moving this. As we open today's Stage 3 proceedings on the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill, I just want to also express my sincere thanks to all those who’ve…
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The Closure of European Union Legacy Agriculture Schemes (Wales) Regulations 2026
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you to the Chair of the committee. I was pleased that we were able to respond quite positively to those technical and merits points. Thanks for your scrutiny on this. Certainly, in terms of merits scrutiny point 1, the…
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The Closure of European Union Legacy Agriculture Schemes (Wales) Regulations 2026
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm very pleased to introduce the Closure of European Union Legacy Agriculture Schemes (Wales) Regulations 2026. These regulations will close three out-of-date EU legacy agricultural schemes in Wales. These are the fruit and vegetable…
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The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (Extension to Maritime Activities) Order 2026
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you for the contributions from Janet Finch-Saunders and from Carolyn as well. Can I say, right at outset, that we really welcome the efforts that have already been made by the cruise industry in particular to decarbonise? There…
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The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (Extension to Maritime Activities) Order 2026
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. I move the motion. I'm pleased to bring forward the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (Extension to Maritime Activities) Order 2026, which amends the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020 to…
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Debate on the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee Report, 'Digging the dirt: Improving Wales’ soil health'
As you know, this falls within the planning policy and the planning decisions of the Planning Inspectorate. However, we make representations, and where we consider that there are good reasons to oppose the development of the land, those are put forward in…
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Debate on the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee Report, 'Digging the dirt: Improving Wales’ soil health'
I really enjoyed the contributions from all Members here in this debate, and it's great to have soil being debated and being the subject of a committee's report as well. From a Welsh Government perspective, we're absolutely committed to a bright and…
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Debate on the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee Report, 'Digging the dirt: Improving Wales’ soil health'
Thank you, Llywydd, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to respond to this report and to emphasise the importance of soil for life and well-being in Wales.
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Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
We're definitely not waiting to see things improve. This is a really serious question—it really is. I was surprised at the little bits of laughter, because it's a really good question. It goes back to a campaign that kicked off back in 2019 on shutting the…
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Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
The Welsh Government supports retailers to reduce their energy use through practical training tools and funding support. These training resources guide retailer decision making on efficient refrigeration, including closed‑door options where they are included…
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Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
But this is one of the fundamental challenges, particularly those companies who knew what they were doing. It seems that there is a moral obligation for them to step up and actually make good on this. The question is, legally, how can you hold them to…
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Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I'm happy to report back after that IMG meets to see whether there's agreement that we should take forward work on this and what that work might entail. If you can leave me to bring that back, we can bring back some more of the detail on it, but we have to…
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Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
The Welsh Government is committed to tackling potential pollution associated with historical waste disposal sites. Our overarching aims are the protection of human health and the environment. We continue to provide support to local authorities and Natural…
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Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
On that last question, there could be some interesting innovations within appliances, and that would need to be addressed not just at a Wales level, but at a UK and a European level as well, so that we have the design of the appliances actually filtering…
