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Shadow Environment Minister, Janet Finch-Saunders MS (Con, Aberconwy), noted criticisms of the lack of independence of Natural Resources Wales and the lack of environmental expertise within the office of the Future Generations Commissioner ahead of the end of the Brexit process.
Wales needs a new environmental governance body in place and a new regime for environmental complaints, but when would the Senedd see solid details?
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths (Lab, Wrexham), said environmental governance was just one tiny part of leaving the EU and she’s seen for herself in meetings the sheer amount of work needed before 31st December.
The situation in Wales regarding environmental governance was different compared to England as Wales has the Environment Act 2016 which has a set of environmental principles. Interim measures to deal with environmental complaints would be put in place before the introduction of new statutory measures, though the Minister rejected the insinuation that environmental plans had been in any way “put on the backburner”.
Llyr Gruffydd MS (Plaid, North wales) couldn’t resist pointing out the irony of the Conservatives complaining about Brexit’s potential impact. In other areas, there were worries veterinary capacity given the new load of red tape (export certificates etc.) which would be required from 1st January, as well as concerns over animal feed supplies.
At the moment, the plans were for vets to be moved from TB testing and the emerging avian flu outbreak to deal with that regulatory burden, but he asked whether there were any further details?
The Minister criticised the UK Government for thinking you could simply throw money at these problems and expect them to go away; they say they want to recruit extra environmental health officers, but they take 4 years to train.
She pointed to increased vet recruitment over the last few years, while animal feed supplies have been factored into end-of-transition contingency plans. TB testing has also been maintained as best as it can be, with most problems related to the Covid-19 pandemic (self-isolation etc.).
