, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Yes. So, interestingly, because section 5(3) is in front of me now—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I should say as well—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, what we're having to do at the moment is consider our response to that. Obviously, it's a UK Bill. We're having to consider our response and, as I say, it could change, and it could change significantly. So, we're just keeping a very close eye and…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, at the current time, we don't know what's in it, so it's very hard to give you a straight answer there, because it could change. Obviously, it's going through its journey through the House of Commons and the House of Lords. We had a very early…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
If I can just add to that. When we had the sunset clause in the UK Agriculture Bill, at that time the most overriding concern was that we were able to continue to support our farmers. We knew we would have to bring that legislation forward here, the bespoke…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
As you said, most Ministers would say 'no'. It would be a matter for you, Chair, and for the committee.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I'll ask the official who is currently considering.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
It could do.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, we're considering it.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Officials are currently considering that, because as you know the White Paper had more things in it. That was much more ambitious, I think it's fair to say, than what we've been able to put in this Bill. So, currently, officials are assessing if we will need…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Obviously, what this Bill does is create a framework for delivery; it doesn't directly create subsidies. So, no, I don't think this Bill will have any impact either.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
No. We'll be able to make our own standards in relation to that.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
And not to my knowledge with the Counsel General.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Not with us.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
We don't think that Act does. It takes one person to challenge. One person, that's all. But I think Dorian put it the best way: we feel that we could defend it.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Yes. That's the better way of saying it.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
'Quite confident'. I've said that before and—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
The Counsel General has made it very clear that the UK Internal Market Act cannot and does not cut across Senedd competence to legislate in relation to non-reserved matters, which obviously this is, so I don't think it will have any impact.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
In relation to glue traps, we've done some significant consultation. I just mentioned the local authorities, because they're the ones that do the most pest control for us here. James mentioned Rentokil that we'd had discussions with. What we wanted to do was…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
No, local health boards. It was local health boards we've agreed to write to the ETRA Committee about. But in relation to the local authorities, I don't think any local authority now uses them at all, and hasn't for some significant time. Because the question…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I think all 22 local authorities—. Was it all of them?
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
We talked about this in quite a lot of detail, didn't we, last Thursday. Certainly, particularly in relation to curlews, some of the evidence that I saw was that the biggest threat to curlews was actually livestock—sheep, mainly, destroying the nests. So, I…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
We rehearsed this, as the Chair knows, last week—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
It's like any legislation; you have to assume that the majority of people will adhere to the law. We have to start on that basis, don't we? From the discussions I've had with them, they will continue to do it, but things will be much clearer for them, and…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Agriculture (Wales) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
We're already doing that, if you think about it, with our wildlife crime officers. We've got one in each police force now in Wales. They'll remain the primary enforcers of snare-related offences. Already they investigate incidents where snares are used…
