Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023
Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023
A Welsh Government Bill,
introduced by Lesley
Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd.
The Business Committee has remitted the Bill to the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs
Committee.
About the Bill
The Bill includes
provision for:
- Sustainable
Land Management (SLM) and also makes provision relating to support for or
in connection with agriculture in Wales;
- Allowing for
Welsh Ministers to continue making agricultural support payments to
farmers during a transition period (policy proposals on transition are set
out in the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) publication);
- Amending the
Agricultural Holdings Act (AHA) 1986 to provide tenants with a route to
dispute resolution in certain circumstances;
- Replacing the
time limited powers taken for Welsh Ministers in the Agriculture Act (AA)
2020, Schedule 5, which expire in December 2024;
- Altering the
Forestry Act 1967 to give Natural Resources Wales (NRW) the power to add
conditions to amend, suspend or revoke felling licenses to prevent felling
that would contradict other environmental legislation; and
- The
prohibition of Snares and Glue Traps.
Further
detail about the Bill
can be found in its accompanying Explanatory
Memorandum.
BillStageAct
The Agriculture
(Wales) Act 2023 [external website] became law in Wales on 17 August
2023.
Explanatory
Memorandum (PDF 3.6 MB) [external website]
A
guide to Consolidation Bills is available in the Guidance
to support the operation of Standing Order 26C on Consolidation Bills.
Record of Passage in the
Welsh Parliament
The
following table sets out the dates for each stage of the Bill’s passage through
the Senedd.
¬¬¬Date
of Royal Assent (17 August 2023)
Royal Assent
(PDF 120KB) was given on 17 August 2023.
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¬¬¬Post
Stage 4 (28 June 2023)
The
Secretary
of State for Wales (PDF 121KB) and the Counsel
General wrote to the Llywydd (PDF 163KB) to advise that they would not be
referring the Agriculture (Wales) Bill to the Supreme Court under Sections 112
and 114 of the Government of Wales Act 2006
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¬¬¬Stage
4, Passing of the Bill in Plenary (27 June 2023)
Stage
4 proceedings took place in Plenary on 27
June 2023.
Agriculture
(Wales) Bill, as passed
Presiding
Officer's statement in accordance with Section 111A(3) of the Government of
Wales Act 2006
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¬¬¬Report
Stage (25 May 2023 – 20 June 2023)
Following
the completion of Stage 3 proceedings on Tuesday 16 May, a motion to consider
the Bill at Report Stage was agreed on Wednesday 24 May.
Report
Stage commenced on Thursday 25 May.
Report
Stage proceedings for the Agriculture (Wales) Bill took place in Plenary
on Tuesday 20
June 2023.
Agriculture
(Wales) Bill, as amended at Report Stage
Revised
Explanatory Memorandum – following stage 3 – 13 June 2023
Notice
of Amendments – 9 June 2023
Welsh
Government: Purpose and effect table – 9 June 2023
Correspondence
>>>>
>>>Letter
from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 13 June
2023 (PDF 196KB)
<<<<
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¬¬¬Stage
3 (24 March 2023 – 16 May 2023)
Following
the completion of Stage 2 proceedings, Stage 3 commenced on 24 March 2023.
Stage
3 consideration took place in Plenary on 16
May 2023 to consider amendments to the Bill (as amended at Stage 2).
Agriculture (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 3
Printing
changes to the Bill as amended at Stage 3
Notice
of Amendments – 4 May 2023
Welsh
Government: Purpose and effect table – 4 May 2023
Notice
of Amendments - 5 May 2023
Notice
of Amendments – 9 May 2023
Marshalled
list of Amendments – 10 May 2023
Grouping
of Amendments list – 11 May 2023
Correspondence
>>>>
>>>Letter
from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd to the
British Pest Control Association - 15 May 2023 (PDF 183KB)
>>>Letter
from the Chair to the British Pest Control Association – 11 May 2023 (PDF
91KB)
>>>Letter
from the British Pest Control Association – 3 April 2023 (PDF 802KB)
<<<<
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¬¬¬Stage
2, Committee consideration of amendments (8 February 2023 – 23 March 2023)
Stage
2 began on 8 February 2023. Details of tabled amendments are published here.
The
Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee agreed on 16 February 2023, under
Standing Order 26.21, that the order of consideration for Stage 2 proceedings
would be: Sections 1 to 32; Schedule 1; Section 33; Sections 35 to 41; Section
34 – Overview of Part 4; Sections 43 to 45; Section 42 – Overview of Part 5;
Sections 46 to 52; Schedule 2; Schedule 3; Sections 53 to 54; Long Title
Stage
2 consideration took place in committee on 23 March 2023.
Agriculture
(Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 2
Printing
changes to the Bill as amended at Stage 2
Explanatory
Memorandum, revised after Stage 2
Notice
of Amendments – 10 March 2023
Notice
of Amendments – 13 March 2023
Welsh
Government: Purpose and effect table – 14 March 2023
Notice
of Amendments – 14 March 2023
Notice
of Amendments – 15 March 2023
Notice
of Amendments – 16 March 2023
Marshalled
list of Amendments – 23 March 2023
Grouping
of Amendments list – 23 March 2023
Correspondence
>>>>
>>>Letter
from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – 9 May 2023
(PDF 175KB)
<<<<
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A Financial Resolution in relation
to the Agriculture (Wales) Bill was agreed in Plenary on 7
February 2023.
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¬¬¬Stage 1 (26 September
2022 – 7 February 2023)
A
debate took place in Plenary on 7 February 2023.
The motion to agree the general principles of the Bill was agreed.
Bill
summary (PDF, 438KB)
Written
consultation responses
Committee dates
The
Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs
Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:
|
Date and Agenda |
Purpose of meeting |
Transcript |
Senedd.TV |
|
Consideration of Approach to Stage 1
Scrutiny (Private) |
|||
|
Evidence session 1 |
|||
|
Evidence session 2 |
|||
|
Evidence session 3 Evidence session 4 |
|||
|
Evidence session 5 Evidence session 6 |
|||
|
Evidence Session 7 Evidence Session 8 Evidence Session 9 |
|||
|
Evidence Session 10 |
|||
|
Consider key issues and draft
recommendations for Bill report |
|
|
The
Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee laid its report on 27 January 2023 (PDF
1,491KB).
The Committee received a response from the Welsh Government
on 7 March 2023 (PDF 248KB)
The Legislation, Justice and Constitution
Committee considered the Bill on the following
dates:
|
Date and Agenda |
Purpose of meeting |
Transcript |
Senedd.TV |
|
Ministerial evidence session |
The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee laid its report on 27
January 2023 (PDF 1099KB)
The
Committee received a response
(PDF 383KB) from the Welsh Government on 7 March 2023.
The
Finance Committee
considered the Bill on the following dates:
|
Date and Agenda |
Purpose of meeting |
Transcript |
Senedd.TV |
|
Financial implications of the Agriculture
(Wales) Bill - Private |
|
|
|
|
Financial implications of the Agriculture
(Wales) Bill: Evidence session |
The
Finance Committee laid its report on 27 January 2023 (PDF
891KB).
The
Committee received a response
(PDF 280KB) from the Welsh Government on 03 February 2023.
Correspondence
>>>>
>>>Letter
from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – 19 December
2022 (PDF 141KB)
>>>Letter
from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – 8 December
2022 (PDF 243KB)
>>>Letter
from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – 7 December
2022 (PDF 161KB)
>>>Letter
from the Chair to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
- 28 November 2022 (PDF 78KB)
>>>Letter
from Public Health Wales – 15 November 2022 (PDF 314KB)
>>>Letter
to Public Health Wales - 11 November 2022 (PDF 77KB)
>>>Letter
from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – 1 November
2022 (PDF 317KB)
>>>Letter
from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – 24 October
2022 (PDF 187KB)
>>>Comparison
of Schedule 5 Agriculture Act 2020 provisions against Agriculture (Wales) Bill
provisions - 5 October 2022 (PDF 723KB)
<<<<
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¬¬¬Bill
introduced (26 September 2022)
Agriculture
(Wales) Bill (PDF 446KB),
as introduced
Explanatory
Memorandum (PDF 3.4MB)
Presiding
Officer’s Statement: 26 September 2022 (PDF 170KB)
Statement
of Policy Intent (PDF 227KB)
Business
Committee’s Report on the timetable for consideration of the Bill (PDF
39.3KB): 6 October 2022
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Contact information
Clerk:
Lara Date
Phone:
0300 200 6565
Postal address:
Welsh
Parliament
Cardiff
Bay
Cardiff
CF99
1SN
E-mail:
SeneddEconomy@senedd.wales
Business type: Bill
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
First published: 26/09/2022
Documents
- Statement of Policy Intent
PDF 227 KB - Comparison of Schedule 5 Agriculture Act 2020 provisions against Agriculture (Wales) Bill provisions - 5 October 2022 PDF 723 KB View as HTML (2) 196 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 24 October 2022 PDF 187 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 1 November 2022 PDF 317 KB
- Letter to Public Health Wales - 11 November 2022 PDF 77 KB
- Letter from Public Health Wales - 15 November 2022 PDF 314 KB
- Letter from the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 25 November 2022 PDF 124 KB
- Letter from the Chair to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 28 November 2022 PDF 78 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 7 December 2022 PDF 161 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd to the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee - 7 December 2022 PDF 317 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 8 December 2022
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd to the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee - 16 December 2022 PDF 204 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 19 December 2022 PDF 137 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd responding to the Finance Committees report - 07 February 2023 PDF 278 KB
- Welsh Government's response to recommendations in the Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Committee Stage 1 report - 7 March 2023 PDF 248 KB
- Welsh Government's response to recommendations in the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee's Report - 7 March 2023 PDF 382 KB
- --Stage 2--
- Notice of Amendments - 10 March 2023 PDF 160 KB
- Notice of Amendments - 13 March 2023 PDF 99 KB
- Welsh Government: Purpose and effect table - 14 March 2023 PDF 352 KB
- Notice of Amendments - 14 March 2023 PDF 130 KB
- Notice of Amendments - 15 March 2023 PDF 110 KB
- Notice of Amendments - 16 March 2023 PDF 78 KB
- Marshalled list of Amendments - 23 March 2023 PDF 245 KB
- Grouping of Amendments list - 23 March 2023 PDF 96 KB
- Agriculture (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 2 PDF 433 KB
- Printing changes to the Bill as amended at Stage 2 PDF 73 KB
- --Stage 3--
- Notice of Amendments - 4 May 2023 PDF 277 KB
- Notice of Amendments - 5 May 2023 PDF 110 KB
- Welsh Government: Purpose and effect table - 4 May 2023 PDF 370 KB
- Notice of Amendments - 9 May 2023 PDF 128 KB
- Marshalled list of Amendments - 10 May 2023 PDF 300 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 9 May 2023 PDF 175 KB
- Grouping of Amendments list - 11 May 2023 PDF 94 KB
- Letter from the British Pest Control Association - 3 April 2023 PDF 802 KB
- Letter from the Chair to the British Pest Control Association - 11 May 2023 PDF 90 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd to the British Pest Control Association - 15 May 2023 PDF 183 KB
- Agriculture (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 3 PDF 490 KB
- Printing changes to the Bill as amended at Stage 3 PDF 79 KB
- Notice of Amendments - 9 June 2023 PDF 83 KB
- Welsh Government: Purpose and effect table – 9 June 2023 PDF 383 KB View as HTML (42) 24 KB
- Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - 13 June 2023 PDF 196 KB
- Agriculture (Wales) Bill, as amended at Report Stage (unchecked) PDF 490 KB
- Agriculture (Wales) Bill, as amended at Report Stage (checked) PDF 490 KB
- Agriculture (Wales) Bill, as passed PDF 385 KB
- CG letter of intimation to Llywydd (e) PDF 160 KB
- Sec of State Letter to Llywydd (e) PDF 120 KB
- Explanatory Memorandum - August 2023 PDF 3 MB
- Hide the documents
Consultations
- Agriculture (Wales) Bill (completed)