, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
That's absolutely right. The Government have to report back to the Senedd. It's important that scrutiny—. Scrutiny is going to be fundamental to make sure that our food system delivers what it needs to for the future generations. So, yes, absolutely.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
No, I think it's quite clear that the Welsh Government need to come up with the strategy, but in consultation with the commission and anybody else that they need to consult. This should be a Government strategy. Scotland have got one, UK Government have got…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill. They've just created a commission, chair and board. So, we're suggesting five to seven members. But, if you think across the food system, all that experience helping that chair to come to a collective decision—you know, the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
I was always of a mind that, to get the breadth of expertise that is needed within that commission role, it needed to be a chair and board, not an individual commissioner. We had long debates about this, and I still maintain that, and, actually, if you look…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Several people have said that, and I put it on record that I'm really pleased that the future generations commissioner has been very supportive of our Bill and what we're trying to achieve here. I don't believe that at any time she suggested that she would…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
I think, Chair, the targets in this area are going to be different to the sort of targets we often measure around basics like waiting lists and things like that. So much has to change, perhaps, in some areas to align to these targets. They are going to take a…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Oh, right. I think, Hefin, if I remember, it's—the terminology—. The first review must be completed within five years. Five years is the maximum date. If, for a reason, Ministers and officials found that targets weren't addressing the food goals in the way…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Is it five years on targets, or two years on targets?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Well, I'll bring Sam in. I know Sam can perhaps answer that.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
No, that's absolutely right. Every man and their dog would have liked to have added something extra to this Bill. It was very soon into the process that advice to me was that we needed to make this very high level—very much a framework Bill, leaving as much…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Yes, I think, Hefin, if that would be helpful for the Bill to move forward, we could explore how we could lay that out in addition to the explanatory memorandum. Tyler.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Can I ask Elfyn to talk to that?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
I was just going to say that we must remember that this is a framework Bill. We’re actually leaving a lot of discretion to the Government to look at and change any of these things if they feel that’s appropriate. But we felt that what we’d advise on that…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
I’m just trying to find the section on reporting. I thought we needed to report within a two-year period. [Interruption.] Item 6—yes, reporting duties. So, what the Bill says, Hefin, is that the regulations under section 4 must specify a reporting date for…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
No, I’m fine.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
No, that’s fine, Hefin. Sam has captured it.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Thanks, Chair. Sometimes when people are coming on the screen, I struggle to pick it up well enough. I might need to use the headphones.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Sam, could you go on? I’m struggling to hear a little bit.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Yes. Can I bring Sam in?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
The Bill is a framework Bill, and the agriculture Bill and the sustainable farming scheme will encourage farmers to produce more locally sustainable food, probably more diverse food. I'd be hoping that the development of the food strategy would be encouraging…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Just a reflection on that. I thank Sarah for her comments. I'm still comfortable with the way that we've taken this forward. It enables the provision of strong targets, which can be easily understood alongside easily understood secondary goals. Again, now, as…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
I've never had any intention for there to be a hierarchy in those food goals. We could list them whichever way you wanted; they are all fundamental to achieving that overarching principal food goal. They are all equally important; they all have a fundamental…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Yes. I mean, I'm happy to work with the committee at later stages if we feel that there are elements of this that could be strengthened to satisfy more or make it more obvious how we will meet those aspirations of the future generations Act, even though we…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
Thank you, Sarah. I think I'd need to understand, really, more about what you're meaning by 'cultural' in the sense of the food system and how that relates to where we're going, because what we believe is that the very nature of what we're prescribing with…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1
This Bill is a framework Bill. It doesn't look to contradict or frustrate or get in the way of any existing legislation; indeed, it sits above those areas. It sits above the existing legislation, it sets a high-level direction of travel for the food system by…
