Politics

Cameron makes case for EU in at conference

Published

9 years ago

April 4, 2016

Lamb exports could be affected by Brexit: David Cameron

PRIME MINISTER David Cameron used his Welsh Conservative conference speech – in the year of an Assembly Election – to push for continued EU membership.

This may have seemed an interesting choice, given the party’s internal split on the issue, and more so because Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies is a confirmed ‘outer’.

Mr Davies did not mention the EU referendum in his speech, and nor did fellow sceptics like David Davies. However, Mr Cameron devoted more air time to the issue than to May’s election.

Mr Cameron is rumoured to be less-than-pleased with Mr Davies’ public announcement that he would be campaigning to leave the EU, and the leader of the party in Wales was referred to once, briefly, in a list below Junior Wales Minister Alun Cairns.

In a lengthy part of his speech (around 1,200 words) the Prime Minister explained how ‘Brexit’ would have a devastating impact on the people of Wales, especially the ones who own farms.

Mr Cameron, who earlier posed for a number of pictures with a lamb, pointed out that 97% of lamb exports went to the EU, but these exports ‘could be slapped with a 40% trade tariff.’

“Let’s just take one example – agriculture,” he said.

“Welsh farmers and food producers rely on the single market.

“It gives them access to 500 million consumers, to whom they can sell their goods on an open, unrestricted basis.

“No tariffs, no barriers, no bogus health and safety rules designed to keep our products out.

“If we left this single market and relied on WTO rules, as some suggest, the extra costs of exporting British beef would be £240m a year.

“An extra £90m would be added to the cost of British lamb exports.

“And just think what that would mean for Wales, where almost 50,000 jobs rely on agriculture, and where the EU accounts for over 90 per cent of Welsh agriculture exports.

“98 per cent of dairy products go to the EU – but outside the single market they could attract a new 36% tariff.

“92% of beef exports go to the EU – and tariffs there could be between 58 and 70 per cent.

“Welsh lamb, such an important export and a source of national pride, would be hit badly.

“97% of lamb exports go to the EU, but lamb could be slapped with a 40 per cent tariff.

“Now of course relying on WTO rules is just one option that people advocate.

“We could go for a Canadian-style free trade deal instead.

“Now let’s note that for a moment that seven years on from the start of talks on a Canadian Free Trade deal, that deal is still not in place.

“Think about the seven years of uncertainty for business, not knowing what the arrangement would be for trading with Europe.

“Seven years of uncertainty for our farmers, not knowing whether those markets would be open.

“Seven years of uncertainty for businesses wanting to invest in Britain to provide jobs and investment and livelihoods not knowing what our relationship would be with Europe.

“Those seven years of uncertainty – they cannot be justified. They cannot be in our national interest and we should reject that idea out of hand.

“But in that scenario, there would also be quotas and restrictions.

“A free trade deal would mean limits on how many tonnes of meat we could export, and very high extra costs and restrictions for goods over that limit.

“Those asking us to leave seem to think that those countries we would have just left will give us some sort of sweetheart deal.

“But why would French farmers not want a slice of the market share of Welsh sheep farmers or beef farmers?

“Why wouldn’t the Italians want to give a greater advantage to their cheesemakers?

Why wouldn’t the Spanish use the negotiation to help their pig farmers?

“Now, the leavers say we should trade more with the rest of the world.

“Of course we should – and we will. But no-one should be naive about how easy this is.”

Mr Cameron referred to leaving the EU as ‘a leap in the dark’ a phrase commonly derided by those who believe in ‘Project Fear’.

He suggested that Wales had an ‘open, dynamic, confident, successful’ future as part of the EU, and suggested that leaving could have a negative impact:

“It’s not an exaggeration to say that Welsh agriculture, Welsh farmers and Welsh jobs could suffer enormously if we left the single market it’s just a fact,” he said.

“And I do think we’re entitled to a few facts from the other side – from those who want us to leave.

“They’re asking us to trust that leaving would somehow be worth the profound economic shock, and the years of uncertainty that would follow.

“They say we’d have more control.

“How exactly?”

Education

Pembrokeshire free school transport call to be heard at County Hall

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow school pupils from Johnston and Tiers Cross access to free school transport to the nearby Haverfordwest high school is to be heard by councillors next week.

Due to a change in catchment areas the pupils are no longer able to access free transport to Haverfordwest, instead coming under the Milford Haven catchment area.

A petition calling for the reinstatement of the former catchment area to access free transport for pupils to Haverfordwest was recently started in the county.

The e-petition, which ran from September 18-November 1 on the council’s own website, attracted 351 signatures, meeting the threshold for a debate at the relevant Pembrokeshire County Council overview and scrutiny committee, in this case the Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28.

The petition, started by Kirsty Coaker, reads: “We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to change Johnston and Tiers Cross School Catchment back to Haverfordwest.

“Children of Johnston and Tiers Cross are now ineligible for free school transport to Haverfordwest High due to the areas no longer being in ‘catchment’.

“Both Johnston and Tiers Cross are Haverfordwest postal codes and are classed as Haverfordwest, yet the school catchment is Milford Haven.

“Please help our children access suitable transport to and from secondary school.”

The e-petition will now be considered at the November 28 meeting.

Climate

Pembrokeshire group plans for larger community wind turbine

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A NORTH Pembrokeshire group which has raised more than £76,000 from its community wind turbine for local projects is hoping to expand with a bigger turbine.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Abergwaun Community Turbine Ltd, through agent Machynlleth-based Dulas Ltd is hoping to get permission for a larger turbine to replace the existing Abergwaun Community Turbine.

The proposed turbine, in a pasture field at Trebover Farm, to the south of Fishguard, would be 67m tall, the existing 2015 one being 45 metres.

In supporting statements, parent company Transition Bro Gwaun said: “The Community Climate Fund (CCF) is the mechanism by which Transition Bro Gwaun (TBG) is fulfilling our ambition of funding projects in Fishguard, Goodwick and across North Pembrokeshire, using income from the community wind turbine.

“The core themes for grants are climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhancement of biodiversity and improvements to community resilience through promotion of community engagement and resource sharing.”

In 2015, TBG raised its 50 per cent share of capital funding for the project by means of loans from 28 local individuals and four community groups, contributing a total of £286,500, the other 50 per cent contributed by landowners Parc-y-Morfa Farms Ltd.

The statement added: “Profit generated by sale of electricity from the turbine is split 50:50 between TBG and Parcy-Morfa Farms Ltd through the jointly owned trading arm, Abergwaun Community Turbine. By the end of 2022, all loans had been repaid, allowing the launch of TBG’s Community Climate Fund. This year we have awarded our third round of grants bringing the total amount granted to £76,036.”

In 2022, £15,274 was awarded to seven projects, including Fishguard Sports AFC to install solar panels on their clubhouse as part of their Tregroes Park development, Ysgol Bro Gwaun for their Increasing Biodiversity and Bees project, and Nevern Valley Veg / Llysiau Cwm Nyfer to install a solar powered vegetable irrigation scheme.

In 2023, £39,85 was made available for seven projects, including Sea Trust Wales to part fund the installation of solar panels on the Ocean Lab roof and to produce a display on solar technology, Letterston Memorial Hall to part fund the installation of an air source heat pump heating system, and Fishguard and Goodwick Rugby Club to install solar panels on their clubhouse.

2024 awards of £20,917 were made to six projects, including Theatr Gwaun to insulate their loft to reduce heating loss, Parc Cerrig Growers for developing a rainwater harvesting system with a pond to irrigate their allotments, Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture for an electric cargo bike for delivering organic vegetables in the Fishguard and St Davids areas, and Nevern Valley Veg to develop wildlife ponds and rainwater harvesting for food production.

The supporting documentation concludes: “The repowering of the existing turbine at Trebover would require a limited increase in turbine size which would result in a very limited change in landscape and visual effects in comparison to the existing Trebover turbine.”

The application will be considered by planners at a later date.

Business

Call to end ‘fad’ of ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to end the ‘fad’ of permanent ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire for their benefit and the befit of the schools, instead using visiting ‘therapy dogs’ is to be heard next week.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28 will consider a public submission by Robert Thomas – who works with therapy dogs – on the subject of school dogs.

The submission reads: “My definition of a school dog is one that spends long periods in the school and is managed and owned by school employees not outside assessed and insured visiting therapy dogs who stay for an hour with a competent handler.

“The welfare of many dogs in schools in Pembrokeshire has been compromised over the last few years and we are concerned that the rise in the popularity of school-owned or teacher-owned dogs is an animal welfare issue.

“I can think of several school dogs in Pembrokeshire where it has gone wrong for the animal.”

He cites examples of ‘school dogs’ the county, where he says they have had to be removed, with the animals being unsettled, barking and even nipping on occasions, showing “a lack of understanding of animal welfare”.

His submission adds: “We have done some work with the Animal Welfare team at the Welsh Government around licensing this field, a consultation was completed in March 2023, currently awaiting the outcome.

“It has become a fad across the country and many dogs spend all day in schools supported by staff members who have another job to do. It feels like PCC does not have a policy overarching animal welfare policy in schools to protect dogs from being seen as staff members and there purely for human benefit, not the dogs.

“Dogs need to rest and sleep during the day and not in school. The visiting therapy dog model works best as the impact is greatest and the welfare of the dog is managed externally. If the dog is there all the time that can diminish the impact, and the novelty can wear off for the pupils.

“In my experience schools should concentrate on teaching and leave the therapy dog introduction to those that have the expertise in animal welfare.”

The submission will be considered by committee members at the November 28 meeting.