First Minister accused of ‘not giving a hoot' about food security
Plans for the scheme, which is designed to replace the funding for Welsh farmers previously given by the European Union, first began after Brexit.
Eluned Morgan was tackled about changes to the controversial scheme following 18 months of consultation with the farming sector.
During First Minister's Questions in the Senedd, Opposition leader, Darren Millar, criticised what he said was a lack of an economic impact assessment.
He asked Eluned Morgan: 'So can you tell us how many job losses this new scheme will cause? What will be the financial hit to the rural economy, and why are you waiting until September to publish a full economic impact assessment of the scheme?'
The First Minister said, 'We have listened to the agricultural community, we recognise the valuable contribution they make to our nation, not just in terms of the economy, but in terms of those wider issues like the environment, like the contribution to our tourism economy.
'When it comes to the impact assessment, there will be a ready reckoner tool available so that prior to the Royal Welsh, people will be able to punch in their particular circumstances, and they will be able to assess how it affects them.'
The Conservative leader said that, 'The problem is that in my constituency and the constituencies represented in this chamber don't want a ready reckoner. They want to know if their jobs are on the line and whether they have still got the opportunity to make a decent living.'
He went on to criticise the Sustainable Farming Scheme for prioritising environmental measures over food security and added that, 'it doesn't even mention the term 'food security' throughout the whole document. It's not mentioned one single time, because you do not give a hoot about food security. First Minister. In contrast, the word 'environment' is mentioned almost 80 times.
'Can you tell us why is there no mention of the term food security in your new schemes document? Why are you still prepared to sacrifice an area of 17,000 acres, half the size of the Vale of Glamorgan' for planting trees?'
In response, the First Minister said 'We know that farmers are very serious about the environment. We know that they are hyper-aware of the very dry patch that we've been through recently, and how that's affecting them, how they need to make these long term investments, and they know more than anyone the impact of climate change.
'We're asking them to help us to make a contribution to addressing the issue of climate change. And I think planting trees has an important contribution. Farmers will choose the right tree in the right place, and we'll be providing incentives for early planting, the budget and the advice and give guidance to farming with that.
'We're not going to apologise for the fact that we do want to see some tree planting, but it will be more flexible than what was initially suggested.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
9 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Swinney brands Gaza crisis ‘genocide' after Fringe show disrupted
Police were called to the Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh after the First Minister was interrupted seven times by six different groups of protesters during a conversation with comedian Susan Morrison. The protesters urged the First Minister to describe the crisis as a genocide and stop state funding for arms companies. Speaking to journalists after the event, the First Minister said: 'It's quite clear that there is a genocide in Palestine – it can't be disputed. 'I have seen reports of terrible atrocities which have the character of being genocide. 'I've expressed that and obviously it's not reached all those individuals, but that's my feeling.' The Scottish Government has also been criticised for – while not funding directly the manufacturing of munitions – providing money for apprenticeships at firms which build weapons. But the First Minister said the Government's commercial arm Scottish Enterprise has the 'strictest assessments imaginable about the purpose and the use of public expenditure in companies who may be related to defence industries'. Pushed on providing money for staff who could potentially build munitions, the First Minister added: 'We're trying to enable companies to diversify their activities, that's the purpose. 'That's why the due diligence checks are applied and they are applied unreservedly.' Throughout the show, groups of attendees stood up, holding signs which spelled the word 'genocide', and heckled the First Minister. As the event continued, the interruptions became more forceful, before two groups stood at the same time, angrily shouting at the First Minister and chanting slogans such as 'call it genocide'. Members of his security team stood in front of the stage, stopping protesters from approaching the First Minister, before three uniformed police officers arrived at the venue to usher the protesters out. I still remember the bus ride to my first Edinburgh Festival show as a teenager, with my late mother – not knowing it would spark a lifelong love of culture. As the Festival season starts, I want every community in Scotland to have that same access to a booming cultural scene. — John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) August 2, 2025 During the tense exchange, which lasted several minutes, a number of the crowd – who were not protesting – appeared to be in tears. A final disruption came from one woman in the crowd, who asked the First Minister why he had not responded to her letter about heavy metal band Disturbed playing at the Hydro in Glasgow. The band's lead singer David Draiman has been criticised after being pictured signing an Israeli bomb. The woman asked the First Minister why he did not speak out on Disturbed playing at the city's biggest venue, when he said it would be inappropriate for Irish band Kneecap to play the TRNSMT festival after comments members of the band had made about Tory MPs. The First Minister said his comments on Kneecap had come due to questions from the media and he 'didn't particularly' want to speak about the band earlier this year, adding that he did not want to choose what art people do and do not consume. The woman became increasingly angry with the First Minister's response and was eventually dragged from the venue by a police officer, whom she branded a 'thug'.
Rhyl Journal
9 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Swinney brands Gaza crisis ‘genocide' after Fringe show disrupted
Police were called to the Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh after the First Minister was interrupted seven times by six different groups of protesters during a conversation with comedian Susan Morrison. The protesters urged the First Minister to describe the crisis as a genocide and stop state funding for arms companies. Speaking to journalists after the event, the First Minister said: 'It's quite clear that there is a genocide in Palestine – it can't be disputed. 'I have seen reports of terrible atrocities which have the character of being genocide. 'I've expressed that and obviously it's not reached all those individuals, but that's my feeling.' The Scottish Government has also been criticised for – while not funding directly the manufacturing of munitions – providing money for apprenticeships at firms which build weapons. But the First Minister said the Government's commercial arm Scottish Enterprise has the 'strictest assessments imaginable about the purpose and the use of public expenditure in companies who may be related to defence industries'. Pushed on providing money for staff who could potentially build munitions, the First Minister added: 'We're trying to enable companies to diversify their activities, that's the purpose. 'That's why the due diligence checks are applied and they are applied unreservedly.' Throughout the show, groups of attendees stood up, holding signs which spelled the word 'genocide', and heckled the First Minister. As the event continued, the interruptions became more forceful, before two groups stood at the same time, angrily shouting at the First Minister and chanting slogans such as 'call it genocide'. Members of his security team stood in front of the stage, stopping protesters from approaching the First Minister, before three uniformed police officers arrived at the venue to usher the protesters out. I still remember the bus ride to my first Edinburgh Festival show as a teenager, with my late mother – not knowing it would spark a lifelong love of culture. As the Festival season starts, I want every community in Scotland to have that same access to a booming cultural scene. — John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) August 2, 2025 During the tense exchange, which lasted several minutes, a number of the crowd – who were not protesting – appeared to be in tears. A final disruption came from one woman in the crowd, who asked the First Minister why he had not responded to her letter about heavy metal band Disturbed playing at the Hydro in Glasgow. The band's lead singer David Draiman has been criticised after being pictured signing an Israeli bomb. The woman asked the First Minister why he did not speak out on Disturbed playing at the city's biggest venue, when he said it would be inappropriate for Irish band Kneecap to play the TRNSMT festival after comments members of the band had made about Tory MPs. The First Minister said his comments on Kneecap had come due to questions from the media and he 'didn't particularly' want to speak about the band earlier this year, adding that he did not want to choose what art people do and do not consume. The woman became increasingly angry with the First Minister's response and was eventually dragged from the venue by a police officer, whom she branded a 'thug'.
Daily Mail
39 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
A defence insider told me last year AUKUS was f****d. Now the final nail was just hammered into the coffin - and the blame game has started: PVO
You're on your own Defence minister and Deputy PM Richard Marles appears to have accidentally belled the cat this week in Question Time.
