What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the number of projects and organisations that will have to be wound up or cease operations as European Rural Development Funding comes to an end?
Under the current Rural Development Plan, we are supporting 1,231 socio-economic projects that cover a diverse range of activities, including access to vital services in rural areas. Despite persistent promises by the UK Government that no country would see a reduction in their budgets as a result leaving the European Union (EU), that commitment has not been honoured.
Welsh rural communities are worse off following our departure from the EU, with Wales’s farmer and rural communities losing more than £243 million in replacement funding over the Spending Review period. This is a result of the UK Government deducting any forecasted EU spend from replacement funding.
Given the limitations placed on funding by the UK Government, and the limited budget available to us, I have prioritised my core commitments. These include funding to support more sustainable farming practices to complement the development of the Sustainable Farming Scheme.”