James Evans
Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd · Reform UK · Wales
“Diolch, Llywydd, and it's important for me to give an update to the Senedd on my Mental Health Standards of Care (Wales) Bill and where we are to date. I want to do some scene setting.”
“Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the motion tabled in the name of my colleague Darren Millar. Today we in the Conservative Party stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers and propose that this Senedd calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its damaging decision to impose what has rightly been called the family farm tax.”
“Currently, APR provides 100 per cent relief from inheritance tax for qualifying agricultural properties, and BPR offers similar relief for business-related assets not covered by APR.”
“I'm not sure people in front of me would like me responding on behalf of the Welsh Government—well, you never know, things may change in the future. As you talk about, Mabon, what I was pleased about with this Bill is that we did have that coalition across the Senedd on how we can improve mental health legislation.”
“In practice, it will devastate family farms, many of which far exceed the threshold in asset value, but operate on minimal cash flows and tight profit margins. To put these figures into perspective, a typical 200 acre livestock farm in Wales may have an asset value of £1.5 million to £2 million.”
“I'd like to thank the Minister for her very kind comments. I would also like to say that I know you're introducing a legislative consent motion to the Senedd on the Mental Health Bill, and I look forward to going over that as it comes forward.”
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“This Government here, and the Government in Westminster, presumes that assuming that owning a farm equates to wealth. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of farming economics. Most farms are asset rich, but are cash poor. The high value of land is offset by the extremely low return on capital—just 1 per cent per annum on average.”
“In practice, it will devastate family farms, many of which far exceed the threshold in asset value, but operate on minimal cash flows and tight profit margins. To put these figures into perspective, a typical 200 acre livestock farm in Wales may have an asset value of £1.5 million to £2 million. While this may seem high, it does reflect the rise in price of agricultural land, which currently sits at £8,000 to £10,000 per acre. It doesn't represent the farm's profitability. Under these proposed changes, the additional tax burden could easily exceed £200,000 for a farm of this size. For families inheriting that farm, this would likely necessitate in selling off land, buildings, taking out unsustainable loans or breaking up the business entirely.”
“Currently, APR provides 100 per cent relief from inheritance tax for qualifying agricultural properties, and BPR offers similar relief for business-related assets not covered by APR. These reliefs allow farming families to pass down their businesses without facing punitive tax bills that could force them to sell off land, buildings and machinery to meet their obligations. APR is not a loophole. It’s a specifically designed policy introduced in the Inheritance Tax Act 1984, protecting Britain’s family farms from being sold and broken up, ensuring our food security across the United Kingdom. Labour's proposed changes to cap the full APR at £1 million and reduce relief to 50 per cent on assets above this threshold on paper may seem reasonable, but, yet again, Labour have got their numbers wrong.”
“Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the motion tabled in the name of my colleague Darren Millar. Today we in the Conservative Party stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers and propose that this Senedd calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its damaging decision to impose what has rightly been called the family farm tax. These changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief will have profound consequences for Welsh farming, rural communities and our economy. Farming is the pillar of the Welsh economy. Agriculture contributes £1.6 billion annually to our economy and directly employs over 50,000 people and many more jobs are supported indirectly in supply chains, food production and retail. Yet the changes to APR and BPR threaten to undermine this critical sector.”
“Because not many of us come into the Senedd with fully fledged law written, done, and all the regulation-making done around it—it simply doesn't happen. And I know the Senedd here itself doesn't have the capacity to do an awful lot of that work. We do have to rely on a lot of external organisations. We're not the Government, we don't have all the civil servants and the expertise, but I do think it is something, going forward, that we really do need to look at—how we improve this process. And I'm sure the Minister will write to you in due course. [ Laughter. ]”
“I'm not sure people in front of me would like me responding on behalf of the Welsh Government—well, you never know, things may change in the future. As you talk about, Mabon, what I was pleased about with this Bill is that we did have that coalition across the Senedd on how we can improve mental health legislation. Like you, I would love to see law made in Wales, debated in Wales and then stamped here in Wales, but, unfortunately, the process that I have got—. I would have continued with this process if I had more time. So, maybe something that Plaid Cymru can advocate for is changing the backbench process, to make sure that we do give Members more time to formulate Bills to make sure we get the proper consultation periods around it, because only that way can you create good law.”
“I know that there are an awful lot of people and organisations out there who will hear you say that, and I am very pleased that you have included that in the updated strategy coming forward. So, diolch yn fawr iawn, Minister. Thank you.”
“I'd like to thank the Minister for her very kind comments. I would also like to say that I know you're introducing a legislative consent motion to the Senedd on the Mental Health Bill, and I look forward to going over that as it comes forward. As I said, if there is anything in there, I will be supporting the Government over that, because I do think that we really do need to see updates to mental health legislation in Wales. I’m sure that my group will be horrified to hear that I have said that—but there we are—without going through the scrutiny part of it. [ Laughter. ] But I would also just like to say that it’s very pleasing to hear the Government’s commitment around updating the mental health Measure on children.”
“As I've gone through the development of this Bill, it's become apparent that there are some extremely difficult challenges that need to be overcome, certain challenges that would take an awful lot longer than the process that I have available to me to introduce legislation that is fit for purpose, that can be rolled out on day one on introduction, and to make sure that it actually serves those people across Wales. A guiding principle for me, since I've come here, is that we shouldn't introduce legislation to this Senedd that is defective and that I don't think meets the needs of the people we serve. So, for that reason, Llywydd, I've decided to withdraw my Bill and I want to set out some reasons for doing that.”
“So, what I set out to do was to improve that legislation. At the time, the UK Government, which was of deep regret to me, decided to withdraw the Mental Health Bill that was in Westminster, which I thought was a mistake. So, I decided to introduce my own Bill here in the Senedd and I was very, very grateful, on introduction of that Bill, that I was able to get cross-party support for the Bill, especially from the Welsh Government, my own group and Plaid Cymru. And I'll be ever grateful actually to the previous First Minister—well, previous previous First Minister—Mark Drakeford, who supported this also.”
“Diolch, Llywydd, and it's important for me to give an update to the Senedd on my Mental Health Standards of Care (Wales) Bill and where we are to date. I want to do some scene setting. When I introduced this Bill, I introduced it because we have two primary pieces of legislation across the United Kingdom that guide us with regard to mental health care. They are the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010, which was put through this Senedd by Jonathan Morgan. Those two pieces of legislation, from all the conversations I had when I held the shadow mental health brief, they're outdated, they're not fit for purpose, and they don't represent twenty-first century Britain. Those pieces of legislation are letting numerous people down, not just here in Wales, but across the whole of the United Kingdom.”
“I've met with Farmers Fresh who were talking to me, actually, about the critical mass of lamb and the critical mass of beef that is going through abattoirs at the moment, and, actually, the threat that abattoirs have got to close because we're not seeing the sheer volume of stock going through those abattoirs. So, it would be very interesting to know what support you're going to put in this scheme to actually make sure farmers keep farming, that they keep producing livestock as well, to make sure that we safeguard those jobs and opportunities, not just in agriculture, but those wider associated industries, because without those abattoirs, places like Merthyr, with St Merryn—if they close a couple of lines down there could be an awful lot of people, hundreds of people, losing their jobs.”
“If there's going to be 6,000 vet meetings happening across the country, there are not that many vets across the country to do that, especially farm vets, so it'll be interesting to know what support you're going to provide to that sector as well, to make sure that we do have the capacity to actually roll out these universal actions. I know I'm out of time, but I've got one quick question, Llywydd, if that's okay. One of the key things that's very important to me and the Welsh Conservative group is food security. We need to make sure that any scheme supports our food and makes our farmers produce food. There is a worrying trend at the moment, Cabinet Secretary, about the decrease in livestock numbers across the country.”
“One thing that I think I would like to see is an actual definition of an active farmer in this scheme, because we need to have that clear definition, because there were far too many people accessing agricultural schemes in the past who are not active farmers, and we need to make sure that money is actually going towards the people who produce food for this country and give us food security. I'm going to run out of time; I've got loads of questions. Veterinary capacity is also another issue. I was very pleased that the universal actions were rolled down, especially on animal health and welfare and biosecurity; it's something that you and I have talked about in some of the meetings that we've had.”
“Your predecessor in this brief said that if this scheme didn't work for tenant farmers, it didn't work for everybody, and I had a very constructive meeting yesterday with the Tenant Farmers Association around the scheme, and there is still some nervousness to make sure that if tenants want to go into this scheme, that they won't have no restrictions imposed upon them by landlords, especially in terms of tree planting, because we know that tree planting does devalue land. So, we need to make sure that, actually, if tenants want to do this, they're enabled to do it, so any support you can give around that would be interesting to hear.”
“I know that's something that has been a bone of contention for some time, and I'm not sure whether it's been decided as part of the round-tables yet—are existing trees and hedgerows going to be counted towards the overall habitat target, or are they going to be counted towards the overall tree-planting target? So, some clarity around that I think is very needed, for people to know that.”
“It'll be interesting to see how that negotiation is going to work, because if you want farmers to buy into it, they need to feel that, actually, what they're putting forward is being respected by Government agencies. And I'm just interested why the 10 per cent habitat figure is still in there if the tree-planting figure has gone. I'm interested why there isn't an overarching scheme target for habitat as well. And I just want to know as well what specific guidance and support are going to be provided for farmers to make sure that the habitat is feasible across various farming systems. You mentioned tenants, and I'll come on to that. But one thing I do want to ask as well is around pre-existing trees and hedgerows.”
“That's what everybody's talked about, and I'm pleased to hear that farmers now will be able to map their own farms, where they think they can plant, and that's a positive step forward. I'm pleased that the 10 per cent tree-planting target has gone, because I think that was a major sticking point for a lot of people out there. I'd be interested to know, going forward, about the tree-planting plan that people are going to put forward. How is the governance going to work around that, and how is that going to be agreed with Government on individual farms? Because say, for example, a farmer says, 'I can do 2 per cent', but then perhaps Government or others say it could be 6 per cent.”
“Because a lot of farmers I talked to yesterday were saying if everything was on income forgone, they're probably not going to go into the scheme. There has to be some financial benefit for doing the things that you want them to, and I'd be interested to hear that. You also mentioned the social value payment. I think that's something that's welcomed, that we're actually going to see the social value of farming. So, I just want to know how that's actually going to be calculated and what measures are in place to ensure that it accurately reflects the value that farming does add to the Welsh economy and society. I can't go through this without talking about tree planting, and I've always been an advocate for the right tree planted in the right place.”
“I think the main issue that came through at the winter fair after your announcement yesterday was around financial certainty and future support, because this could be the best scheme possible that could ever be put on the table, but if there isn't a long-term budget, a secure budget, put in place to support the implementation of this scheme, then no-one is going to take it up. So, I need some assurance—I'm sure the farmers across Wales need assurance—that this scheme is going to be backed by an adequate budget and it's financially resourced to ensure economic stability for family farms. So, can you confirm, if you haven't already done so, or are in the process of doing so, the payment rates, what will be outlined, and can you confirm whether the payment rates will be in excess of income forgone?”
“As I'm not quite sure, I'd better declare a relatable interest in this, due to family circumstances. I'd like to thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for providing an update on the revised sustainable farming scheme, and, like you, I'd like to thank all those farming organisations and active farmers on that panel for all the time they have given to make this scheme probably be in a better place than what it was previously. However, there are still some challenges that still exist and some key issues that remain unresolved, and I'd just like to see some further clarification from you on behalf of those Welsh farmers and rural communities about the questions that I was asked yesterday.”
“And will you please raise it with the Prime Minister to say that the Welsh Labour Government here does not stand with them on this matter?”
“I’d like to declare an interest in this matter. First Minister, last week was proud to stand with thousands of farmers and my constituents in Westminster, and yesterday at the winter fair, against the family farm tax. This tax is going to damage the fabric of rural Wales, putting our family farms at risk, putting our food security at risk, and has the real consequence of putting food prices up. You told farmers that they needed to calm down. That statement went down like a cup of cold sick with the farmers that I represent. First Minister, you said you would stand up for Wales. Will you now join the thousands of Welsh farmers and stand up for rural Wales and condemn your colleagues in Westminster, and stand with me and those farmers and condemn the family farm tax?”
“Thank you very much, Joyce. You did mention standing up for Wales. The Welsh Conservatives were very robust in asking for HS2 consequentials to come to Wales. It seems that, since the Labour Westminster Government has come into power, your party has forgotten that you were asking for it as well.”
“—the voice of the people will make it clear. They'll say it's time to call last orders on this Government. It's time to make Wales great again. Enough is enough. It's time to change, and it can't change soon enough.”
“—who has been quiet this whole debate. However, we are yet to see progress on the issues that the people of Wales care about. The people have been watching closely after these 100 days, and we have too, and we've had enough. In 2026, the voice of the people—”
“They're so distracted by fringe issues, they've seen our public services slip into the gutter and neglected the communities and the people who feel left behind across Wales. First Minister, you pledged that your Government would prioritise delivery. You even put a Minister in place—”
“If you're going to put the minimum wage up, Joyce, you actually can’t put other taxes up for business as well, because they do need to have money to employ people, to put that money back in the community, to support the public services that we all require. But let's be clear, this Government here is not a Government for the people. It's a Government for their union paymasters. It doesn't support hard-working people. Meanwhile, while all those issues I talked about need to be addressed, what have Labour's priorities been for the last 25 years, for this Senedd term of the last 100 days? They're obsessed with electoral and constitutional reforms, adding more Senedd Members costing £120 million. They're obsessed with reducing speed limits and propping up failing institutions.”
“Yes, in a second, Joyce. And a Bill coming forward now attacking our visitor economy. The anti-growth coalition is in full swing here in Cardiff, and now they're aided and abetted by Westminster. Yes, I will take an intervention, Joyce.”
“Wales is already facing the highest rising unemployment rate across the United Kingdom. Our businesses are getting hammered. And the latest UK Government budget, fully supported by the Welsh Government here, is only going to make things harder: corporation tax up, national insurance up, minimum wage up, and capital gains slashed.”
“Our hard-working teachers and teaching assistants are doing their best in increasingly difficult circumstances, overburdened with huge workloads, and it's clear that they are being let down by the Welsh Government. And on the forty-ninth day of this Government, ITV reminded us that many students under this Government are entering secondary school illiterate. Then, within the first 100 days, comes the betrayal of our pensioners. Many Ministers, and the First Minister, and many Labour Members, didn't turn up to the debate we held here on winter fuel payments. They left our pensioners out in the cold, forced to choose between heating and eating, and shamelessly supporting the UK Labour Government. And then comes the betrayal of our businesses. Our businesses are under siege.”
“In the south, patients at the Grange hospital are waiting for hours in ambulances only to be stuck in bays so crowded that they have to use industrial fans to clear the fumes from idling vehicles. And in Powys, a health board in a crippling budget deficit, closing local services. Is this the health service that we really want to see after 100 days and 25 years of Labour? I don’t think so. But despite all these challenges, our NHS staff are working tirelessly to provide exceptional care and going above and beyond the call of duty. And let’s turn to education. While children in England move ahead, our students in Wales fall further behind. Programme for International Student Assessment scores in reading, maths and science are at rock bottom, putting the future of our young people at risk.”
“Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. There's plenty more to come. So, let's see the impact of the first 100 days of this Government, and let's see what you've not been doing to address the issues that matter most to the people of Wales. Let’s talk health. The First Minister, once health Minister, promised that no-one in Wales would wait more than a year for an appointment by the end of 2022. Well, here we are, nearly two and a half years later, thousands of people on a waiting list, people waiting in the back of ambulances, and people waiting in hospitals for social care just to go home, and all they want from this Government is answers, leadership and accountability. In the north, Betsi Cadwaladr has been put into special measures.”
“I'd like to congratulate the First Minister on becoming the first female First Minister of Wales. However, after 25 years and 100 days of the third Labour Government this year, what do we see? Broken promises, endless problems and a Government completely out of touch with the hard-working people of Wales. The First Minister said that she had listened to the public and the people of Wales, and it is a shame that it’s taken 25 years for the Government here to understand that you do need to listen to the public. So, let’s see—[ Interruption .] So, let's see the impact of the first—[ Interruption .]”
“Thank you. You talk about upskilling the workforce, in certain parts of rural Wales, we're seeing services being downgraded, not upgraded. So, how can we encourage people to come and work in rural Wales when the services there are no more than almost like a nursing home, looking after elderly people, when they should be upgraded so that nurses and people who want to work in rural Wales can do more?”
“It's unacceptable that elderly residents in Abercrave must travel as far as Telford for eye appointments because of service level agreements that rural health boards strike across the country even though a closer hospital, in Swansea, could handle that treatment. It simply isn't good enough. Similarly, patients from rural Wales find themselves driving to Shrewsbury for orthodontic care for their children, despite these services being available much closer within Wales.”
“Recently, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board announced the closure and downgrading of wards, meaning a loss of nearly 15 beds, at a minimum. Our district general hospitals in Merthyr, Hereford, which is across the border, Swansea and the Grange are frequently at capacity and on red alerts, and maternity services in Bronglais can't accept any more patients. These are not isolated cases but signs of a system—our NHS here in Wales—that is buckling under pressure. I do applaud colleagues from all across the political spectrum in this Chamber who have spoken out about cuts to the NHS in their own communities, as we're all facing the same challenges right the way across Wales. For non-acute care, the situation is even more fragmented.”
“Despite these increasing needs, Powys Teaching Health Board struggles under a £23 million budget deficit, a clear indication of financial mismanagement. While some positive steps have been made, such as advancements in stroke rehabilitation and mobile dental units—all these are to be welcomed—they are consistently undermined by significant cuts to our essential services, which are always on the front line. Most concerning are the cuts to minor injuries unit opening hours across rural Wales, and the downgrading of Crug ward in Brecon, which cared for dementia patients. Knighton hospital in the north of my constituency has been reduced to a small respite unit, further diminishing the scope of the care we can provide locally within our cottage hospitals in rural Wales. The downgrading of these services isn't limited to Powys alone.”
“Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd like to give a minute of my time to Russell George, Sam Rowlands, Gareth Davies and the one and only Janet Finch-Saunders. The future of healthcare in rural Wales is under serious strain. In Brecon and Radnorshire, we face a unique set of challenges due to our sparsely populated areas, which has limited access to hospitals and emergency services. Most residents are forced to travel outside the county to receive essential care. This issue is especially concerning, given our ageing population in Powys, where nearly 28 per cent of the population are aged 65 or older, much higher than the national average. This figure is projected to skyrocket, with over-65s reaching 47,000 by 2036.”
“You say 'large farms'. There's a farm up for sale in my constituency, and it's a farm with 20 acres and valued at £1.9 million. Do you actually say that that's a large farm?”
“It’s about time that Labour reversed their attack on our farming communities. Let’s stand together to protect the backbone of Wales: our farmers, our rural community and our food supply chains. Remember what I say: no farmers, no food.”
“They don’t care about the people who live here; they only care about making sure that they look green on the international stage. And something I’m sure Alun Davies would like to hear about: we only have to look at Europe to see what happens when small family farms are driven out. Between 2005 and 2016, 5.3 million small farms disappeared across the EU, and that was all because of the green agenda being pushed by the European Union. And if Labour have their way, Wales is going to be next. This policy doesn’t just threaten rural Wales, it threatens everybody who depends on the food we produce. When family farms struggle, food prices go up. And as the saying goes: no farmers, no food. That is simple. This isn’t just a countryside issue, it’s an issue about food security for everybody across the country.”
“Under Labour’s new tax rules, they could face tax bills as high as £200,000 for simply wanting to pass their family farm on to the next generation. Families could be forced to sell-off land and equipment just to foot the bill, dismantling generations of the Welsh family farming heritage. And let’s not forget Labour’s broken promises. Just before the election, DEFRA Secretary Steve Reed pledged: ‘We have no intention of changing APR.’ Roll on a few months, now they’re telling farmers, ‘Do more with less’. That just shows where Labour are when it comes to farming in Wales. These changes will push our small family farms out of the industry, while big corporations buy up the farms for greenwashing, just so they can meet their environmental credentials. They don’t care about Wales.”
“The thing with our benches is that we want to plant the right tree in the right place; what your Government want to do is plant trees everywhere, right the way across Wales. I suggest to the Labour Party that if you want to see the true price of farms in Wales, have a look on Google and type in, 'The price of farms in Wales'. You'll soon find that a lot of them are over £1 million. A lot of Labour colleagues seem to think that farmers are rich, wealthy landowners. A lot of farmers are not rich, wealthy landowners; they are asset rich and cash poor. In 2018, upland farmers in Wales earned as little as £15,000 a year, working 365 days a year. These are hard-working families, often earning below the national average wage. They rely on tight budgets to keep their farms going.”
“Labour's £1 million threshold for relief is shockingly low. Here in Wales, it's almost impossible to buy even a modest family farm for under £1 million. With land prices soaring, the cost for an average family-sized farm easily hits £1.5 million to £2 million and above, and that doesn't include the vital equipment and buildings, which add hundreds and thousands of pounds to that cost. And land alone now costs between £8,000 and £10,000 per acre—far beyond what Labour's thresholds are. [ Interruption .] Yes, go on, Lee, why not?”
“Today I'm here to expose the real impacts of Labour's reckless changes to agricultural property relief and the threat that they pose to farming families and rural communities here in Wales. The Chancellor's autumn budget has sent a clear message: Labour is willing to sacrifice the backbone of Welsh agriculture and the communities that depend on it. From April 2026, any family farm valued at over £1 million will face 20 per cent inheritance tax. APR has long allowed family farms to be passed down through generations without damaging tax bills, recognising the central role that they have in feeding the nation and caring for our landscapes. Labour is stripping away that support, claiming that this tax will only impact 25 per cent of farms. That is simply not true, and it just shows how out of touch Labour is with rural Wales.”
“Cabinet Secretary, thank you for your statement today. What we're told is the NHS is exempt from tax rises. However, as colleagues have said, social care and GP surgeries are not, and they have raised serious concerns that tax rises could really impact the delivery of the services that they have in looking after the most vulnerable and sick people in our society. A lot of those practices and social care providers are locked into contracts with health boards and with local authorities, so what assurances can you give them that the Welsh Government will support them through these tax rises to make sure that the general population of Wales can still get access to the services that they really need?”