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Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability: Winter preparedness: Be flood ready
For example, this year Natural Resources Wales updated flood risk mapping at eight river locations across Wales. They also delivered improvements to their live flood warning service. NRW flood warnings and severe weather warnings are now available on a…
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Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability: Winter preparedness: Be flood ready
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. The summer of 2026, as we all know, was the warmest on record in Wales, and the drought conditions affected large parts of the country. But now we are entering the winter period, and climate change will bring wetter…
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Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Contaminated land
That's why, of course, we are continuing to press the UK Treasury on the importance of providing funding to support our joint efforts to address this legacy, through both the restoration of coal tips, yes, but also the remediation of contaminated land, as…
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Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Contaminated land
However, I also agree with the motion that at the heart of this issue is a simple, simple principle: those responsible for pollution should cover the costs of putting that harm right. Now, the polluter-pays principle is an important safeguard for communities…
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Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Contaminated land
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. May I start by thanking Niamh Salkeld for bringing this debate to the Senedd, with the support of Elwyn Vaughan, and for the work that you've done, but also everyone who has contributed to this debate this afternoon? I…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Yes, improving mental health and well-being is an absolute priority for Welsh Government. We know that farmers face many challenges. I myself have seen it in terms of friends and family in the industry. That uncertainty that comes, of course, with so many…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, the Welsh Government is tackling social isolation in farming communities through its national connected communities strategy. We also support farming communities through the Wales farm support group, which brings charities together to share expertise to…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, thank you for raising this issue again, in fairness. I share your concern about the problem with water pressure in Redwick and, as I say, it's something that you've raised previously. It is vitally important, first of all, of course, that people have a…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, we are, I can assure the Member. We are strengthening rural resilience, Dirprwy Lywydd, across all rural Wales through investment in sustainable farming, in support for rural communities and businesses, actions to improve climate resilience, and new…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
I think this is where Reform gets it wrong. You see it as one side against another. I would much rather find a way where we can mutually support both farming, by making it more resilient, but, in doing so, support the recovery of nature and tackling climate…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, the Government monitors livestock numbers alongside evidence on farm viability, on emissions, on biodiversity and on animal health, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group. Our aim, of course, is to support sustainable, productive…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
I will happily take that away and consider it. I think you make a fair point. I think the role of citizens—. And I said earlier, in relation to green spaces, when you empower citizens to take action and to respond to some of these circumstances, then you are…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you. I meet regularly with Natural Resources Wales. This is something that I will raise with them. Clearly, I have confidence in their ability to do their job, but I also recognise that they are being stretched and there is great demand on the expertise…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you for the question. I am committed, as I said, to setting those targets across all the priority areas, and that work has to be done, in law, by April 2028. So, we will do that. As I said, we will work with stakeholders to get that in place. An…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
We are making good progress in developing ambitious, legally binding biodiversity targets, which we must have in place by April 2028. The targets will be informed by expert and stakeholder advice, underpinned by robust evidence and impact assessment, and…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you very much for the question. I think it's very appropriate that the enterprise Minister is sat next to me, because I fully hope that this will be a joint endeavour. But we are looking to increase that particular focus on some of the communities that…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Yes I will, because family farms, as you say, are the backbone of our rural communities in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd and the rest of Wales as well, and we recognise the significant pressures that those businesses are facing. That's why we have been flexible, for…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
The Welsh Government is supporting family farms in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd through its £340 million annual budget commitment. To help farmers facing significant pressures this year particularly, we've increased advance payments from 70 per cent to 80 per cent…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you for drawing attention to a very important area here. I won't get drawn on particular local issues, but, more generally, we do know that the nutrient impact on housing delivery is concerning. The Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you for that question. I know that this is a challenge that could occur in a number of different contexts. I hope you'll be reassured that the Welsh Government is working with Natural Resources Wales and local planning authorities through the planning…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Protecting groundwater is essential for safeguarding drinking water supplies, the environment and Wales's long-term water resilience. Planning and environmental permitting processes require risks to groundwater to be assessed and managed. Where risks are…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Well, after the session we had in committee, I made sure that I did write to the UK Government to make these representations, to make sure that any implications for Welsh agriculture are properly considered and any negative consequences are avoided. My…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you. There were a couple of questions in there. I haven't got the list in front of me of the membership of that group, but we are, you're right, looking at a whole food system, from gate to plate and beyond—well, no, where does it go after that? I'm not…
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Yes, she's very good. She never does it to me. [Laughter.]
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Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
Thank you for that. I'm not 100 per cent sure where we are on that. I am aware, if I'm correct, and I don't wish to mislead the Senedd, that a review is happening of the evidence at the minute. I'm awaiting advice from officials. Maybe, if you'd allow me, I…
