FMQs : EU, Opencast & Orlando

Another week, another edition of First Minister's Questions with a wide range of topics from farming to planning and the Welsh language.

The EU still dominates proceedings as you might expect. The Assembly's due to have it's first (and probably only) debate on the EU referendum tomorrow afternoon, and I'll try to get a write-up done for Thursday.

It's also worth noting that the Assembly Research Service has produced an excellent guide to some of the key issues facing AMs in the Fifth Assembly – 39 in total, including infographics where relevant. It's available in English here (pdf) and Welsh here (pdf).

FMQs, 14^th June 2016

Party Leaders

UKIP leader, Neil Hamilton AM (UKIP, Mid & West Wales) raised concerns about farm prices, which have halved in the dairy sector alone. Direct payments are important and there have been particular problems with cross-border farms with delays in direct payments by the English payments authority. He asked what progress had been made to ensure payments in England had been sorted out, adding that it was "extraordinary"  that two government agencies couldn't work together.

The First Minister said over 90% of direct payments had been paid out on time in Wales, though acknowledging cross-border farms were still waiting; he hoped it could be resolved quickly, but the solution isn't in the Welsh Government's hands.

Leader of the Opposition, Leanne Wood (Plaid, Rhondda) said the positive atmosphere generated by Welsh football supporters in Bordeaux last week "captured the naturalness" of Wales' place in Europe. She asked what the government can do in the final week of the referendum to ensure people vote based on facts instead of rumours? Leanne also said Wales had a trade surplus with the EU, and the uncertainty would impact Wales more than the rest of the UK, asking what contingency plans the Welsh Government had for business/trade and to protect Welsh interests if we found ourselves part of a right-wing rump UK?

In reply, the Welsh Government can't send out its own information due to purdah rules, though AMs can make their own case as individuals. It was difficult to make contingency plans with such uncertainty, and the First Minister saw no need to create unnecessary hurdles to trade and investment through a "Brexit". On the UK's future, there could be serious consequences for Northern Ireland, with the possible imposition of a "hard"  land border (which is unlikely within the Common Travel Area, you've got to say). At the very least there needs to be a full assessment of the relationship between the nations of the UK, particularly if there's a Leave vote.

Continuing the theme from last week Welsh Conservative Leader, Andrew Davies AM (Con, South Wales Central), criticised some of the extra spending commitments the Welsh Government is making, asking "what money tree have you found in Cathays Park"? It wasn't unreasonable to asked where the money will come from for extra education spending, scrapping Severn crossing tolls (costing £15-20million) and the M4 Newport bypass.

Carwyn accused him of being against spending on education, scrapping Severn crossing tolls and the M4 relief road. Money for the M4 would be borrowed and is the main reason borrowing is being introduced – so it won't eat into capital funding for road projects elsewhere. He accepted there could be difficult decisions in future budgets, but was confident money can be found.

Backbenchers

Bethan Jenkins AM (Plaid, South Wales West) asked for a statement on opencast mining in relation to the recent application for partial restoration (here) of the controversial former Parc Slip/Margam opencast site on the Bridgend-Neath Port Talbot border.

It was called-in by the Welsh Government but that call-in/holding order has since been lifted.

As the application effects Bridgend, the First Minister was well aware of the issues and a focused review of the MTAN2 guidance will proceed. The UK Government have a moral obligation to restore sites. In 1994 the companies who took over opencast sites were excluded from providing funding towards restoration; the partial restoration of the Parc Slip site is welcome but still unacceptable. Legal action to force restoration would cause complications due to the site's offshore ownership, but it wouldn't be reasonable to expect local authorities to fund restoration.

Both Julie Morgan AM (Lab, Cardiff North) and Steffan Lewis AM (Plaid, South Wales East) asked questions on the importance of the EU to Wales. Julie pointed towards support for Remain amongst scientists and universities, with Cardiff University benefiting from £16.9m of Horizon 2020 funding for 49 projects. Steffan said the UK would hold the EU Council presidency for 6 months in 2017, and asked whether the First Minister could ensure the presidency is held jointly by all the governments of the UK as well as the possibility of hosting an EU summit in Wales?

In his response, the First Minister underlined that the EU's benefits were wide-ranging and fundamental to our prosperity. He doesn't want to throw away any opportunities; Swansea University's new campus was part-funded by the EU. On summits, we need to ensure the UK remains in the EU in the first place. It would be "extremely odd" if the UK took the EU presidency whilst on the way out. He emphasised the uncertainty a Leave vote would cause, and that the Leave campaign have no power to deliver on their pledges to protect current EU grant spending.

Best of the rest :

• Neil McEvoy AM (Plaid, South Wales Central) asked for a statement on Local Development Plans (LDPs). It quickly became unnecessarily stormy. Neil dug himself in to give a speech instead of asking a question, trying to interrupt several times which annoyed the Llywydd. There's still a grudge there over comments made by the First Minister in 2012 (related : Carwynisation of Cardiff's LDP). Carwyn in turn accused him of "living in a land of fantasy" and not asking a proper question, though he said single local authorities can't be expected to provide all housing for a region and need to work strategically.
• Guidance on local authority regulatory powers already exists, but the issue raised by Neil Hamilton AM – the heavyhanded use of regulations by councils, in this case furniture being put in a car park/highway – is an important issue to pubs in particular.
• Ensuring the Welsh language prospers remains a priority for the Welsh Government, particularly improving planning, infrastrucuture and the use of technology. Access to Welsh-medium, particularly secondary, education is also important. A pilot project is taking place to reassure businesses that Welsh language services aren't difficult to provide and can improve business. A full statement on the government's vision will be issued during Eisteddfod week in August - to Sian Gwenllian AM (Plaid, Arfon).

Written Question of the Week

Although not answered by the non-binding deadline, Andrew Davies AM asked what was being done to raise awareness of the dangers of under-age drinking?

Minister for Public Health, Rebecca Evans (Lab, Gower), said results from recent health surveys showed alcohol consumption rates amongst teenagers has consistently declined and are at their lowest rates since the surveys began in 1986. The Welsh Government provide £2million towards school liaison programmes, while £2.75million is ringfenced for substance abuse programmes (including treatments) targeted at children and teenagers.

Statement of Opinion of the Week

Following the Islamist-inspired homophobic terror attack in Orlando last weekend which has, at time of posting, resulted in 49 deaths, Wales' three openly-gay AMs – Hannah Blythyn AM (Lab, Delyn), Jeremy Miles AM (Lab, Neath) and Adam Price AM (Plaid, Carms. E & Dinefwr) - tabled a joint statement.

The statement says the National Assembly "stands shoulder to shoulder" with LGBT communities and believes all forms of discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity have no place in society.

A well-attended vigil was held outside the Senedd building yesterday evening, while the Assembly has a long-standing record of being one of the most LGBT-friendly employers in the UK.

Before FMQs, Llywydd Elin Jones (Plaid, Ceredigion) expressed condolences on behalf of the Assembly and a minute's silence for the victims was observed.