, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I think it's fair to say, even though we haven't been as impacted in Wales, we have allowed our vets to go over to England to help. I would expect the same thing to happen if it was the other way around and we were more severely impacted than England, so…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
—certainly in affected premises at the moment. Again, we've had such a torrid time of it. I'm not sure they're keen to do that, but that would be a discussion we would have to have.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
They don't seem very—. Well, I think, over the past few months, DEFRA certainly haven't been very keen to do that. At the moment, and I think it's the same in England—. I'm looking at Gavin. I think we are seeing a bit of a decline—
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
It's something to do with the migration of birds, yes. So, from 1 October 2022 to today—or yesterday, maybe—we've only had to cull 36 birds. When you look at the figures in England, we have been very, very, very fortunate. As I say, if there was wood, I would…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Fortunately—there is no wood, I don't think—in Wales, we haven't been impacted in the way they have in England. For some unknown reason, and maybe Gavin—. No, he won't be able to explain, because I don't know. The year goes from 1 October—the year for…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
It's very much part of my plans and my priorities, because I do think it is going to be incredibly important as we go forward with SFS. But it is funded through the RDP.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
We can give you the figure.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I honestly don't have that figure off the top of my head. Gian Marco will see if he can find it.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I don't know if you've got that figure off the top of your head—
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
How much is it? I don't know. It's funded through the RDP.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
As you're probably aware, we've got a new Farming Connect contract coming into being on 1 April this year. That will run for two years, to the end of March 2025. I agree with you, I think it's looked on with envy from farmers across the border. I think it's…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I think I could have worked that out.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
As you know, we spoke in the Chamber about this, and I said to you it was about—. I'm not quite sure if it's cost neutral, but it's certainly about making sure they have cost recovery. I didn't commit to, but I will be writing to you further on that. I don't…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
As I've already mentioned, we're still making £258 million available for our rural communities. You will have heard me say already that I've got very little flexibility in my budget. When as a Cabinet we had the reprioritisation exercise, there were very few…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
You always need to learn lessons. I think one of the things that we did learn is that you do have to overcommit to make sure all the money is spent, because invariably, as I said, there is slippage with some projects. And obviously, with the pandemic, again…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
It's significant.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I was going to say 50, so if we both think 50—
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I'm not sure of that figure. Do you know that figure?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
It's all committed. It is overcommitted, in fact. You learn with the RDP that it's best to overcommit, and even though sometimes it gives me sleepless nights when I think of the overcommitment, invariably, it comes in. I will do absolutely everything I can to…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Well, I certainly think they can. And I have to say, in my discussions with the agricultural sector over the past—well, I'm thinking back to the Royal Welsh Show, so, perhaps six or seven months—many of them, and I'm talking about very high-profile farmers…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Good morning.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
No, I haven't. I don't think I've got that flexibility in my budget to be able to do that. Maybe if we'd still been in the European Union, I would have done, but I can't think of any other countries that are out of the European Union that have done that.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Well, I don't have any more money, so, I'm afraid it is what it is, and, as I say, I think I've given some certainty and, certainly, the farming unions welcomed the announcements around BPS. The money is what I've got and it goes straight out and I think by…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Well, we do a full, integrated impact assessment and that's obviously inclusive of equality impacts. That's been completed. I published that alongside the agricultural Bill introduction last year into the Senedd, so, that's there for everybody to see. I…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you. I mentioned earlier that officials attend the UK agriculture market monitoring group meeting; that's where we do most of the monitoring. So, we do monitor the position very carefully. No-one is getting away from the cost-of-living crisis…
