Commentary on Sections Part 2 – Support for Agriculture Etc Chapter 1 - Welsh Ministers’ power to provide support Section 11 – Multi-annual Support Plans
98.Section 11 requires the Welsh Ministers to prepare a ‘Multi-annual support plan’ (MASP) about the expected use, during the period to which the plan relates, of the powers under section 8.
99.Subsection (2) sets out the information that must be contained within the MASP, including a description of support schemes which are either both operational, or expected to become operational, during the period to which the plan relates.
100.Subsection (3) provides that the period to which the first MASP is to relate is to be five years, beginning with 1 January 2025. Subsection (4) states that subsequent MASPs must relate to periods not shorter than five years.
101.Subsection (5) places a duty on Welsh Ministers to ensure that there is always a MASP in force.
102.Subsection (6) provides that the MASP must be laid before the Senedd in advance of the date in which the plan period commences: in the case of the first MASP as soon as practicable before the plan period, and for subsequent plans, at least 12 months in advance of the beginning of the plan period.
103.Subsections (7) requires the Welsh Ministers to amend a MASP if the information in it ceases to be accurate before the end of the period to which it relates (for instance, where a support scheme is no longer operational or functions within a scheme are no longer supported).
104.Subsection (8) requires the revised MASP to be published and laid before the Senedd.