, Plenary
Debate on the Health and Social Care Committee Report—Dentistry
I think that's a wholly realistic opportunity. I note that my health board is a university health board, and west Wales does have a number of vacancies within the dental field, but there is definitely consideration and strength with having those services and…
, Plenary
Debate on the Health and Social Care Committee Report—Dentistry
I'm happy to take an intervention.
, Plenary
Debate on the Health and Social Care Committee Report—Dentistry
Access to dentistry is an issue that I know makes up most of our Senedd Members' casework inboxes, and I've spoken on the issue previously. I must congratulate the Health and Social Care Committee on their detailed report, which I read with much interest, and…
, Plenary
Debate on the Health and Social Care Committee Report—Dentistry
I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute today.
, Plenary
90-second Statements
Diolch, Llywydd. This week marks the second annual NFU Cymru Welsh Food and Farming Week, a celebration and recognition of Wales's world-renowned produce, climate-friendly production and the millions of pounds contributed to Wales's economy by our…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Okay. Thank you.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
But should scientific evidence come forward ahead of the next 2026 Senedd election that clearly demonstrated that specific culling of infected badgers did reduce the risk of TB incidents in herds in Wales, then the Welsh Government would look at implementing…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
So, if you were presented with clear science that proved that it was, would that change the Government's perception?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Excellent. There's a question on mandatory informed purchasing that I hope we can write to you on and seek, because I'm conscious of the time, your response on MIP, but, just finally, I note from the Farmers Guardian this week that Thérèse Coffey, your…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Fab. Because one of the key markers of the initial pilot project as it was brought forward was the use of the Enferplex test in diagnosing TB animals and at-risk TB animals. Just on the focus around compensation, is the Enferplex test on an approved list of…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
So, are the aims of the initial group that co-ordinated and brought this forward—? Is that integral to this tender process or have the markers been moved somewhat, as to what was initially suggested by the Pembrokeshire pilot team, led by Abi Reader, your…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Excellent. You mentioned one pilot project. Just moving on to the Pembrokeshire pilot that went out for tender, I'm just wondering if you could give us an update on the progress of that procedure.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Can I suggest, then, that it's not a binary choice between the culling of in-calf animals on farm or their removal, but it's the option given to farmers? Because I know, speaking to a vast majority, they're distraught seeing it happen, but there are some that…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
And just moving on to a topic that I've raised with you previously and gathered quite a bit of interest around the human aspect of it, namely the culling of in-calf cows and heifers on farm and the distress that causes, I know in your TB statement you made…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you very much, Chair. Moving on to bovine TB, I was just wondering if you could outline plans for more stringent TB testing measures for cattle movement—what your plans are around that, and what's being done to mitigate the socioeconomic impact on…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Excellent.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Because my focus is on the farming-by-calendar element, which, for me, intrinsically is the most contentious part of it, given the climate that we have here in Wales. That seems to be the part that could be solved most easily by technology—allowing the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
What happens after the intended review in 2025? Sorry, Chair, I've cut across. What happens after that? Because technology can accelerate or it can take its time to develop. Once these are reviewed and implemented fully, and after 2025, what then happens…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Fab. Thank you. Just sticking with that as well, and just hammering home the point around alternative measures, can you just outline again the Government's position on, should an alternative measure to these water regulations come forward, what process is…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Just on the most recent postponement, then, of the implementation, there was a little bit of a perception within the industry, from the comms coming out of the Welsh Government, that the whole regs, as they were, were being delayed, rather than just the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
That's the comms from the co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru, I think.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you very much, Chair. Just moving on to control of agricultural pollution, Minister, I was just wondering if you could give the time frame for announcing the implementation of the new 250 kg per hectare licensing scheme. And, given that you've not…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Yes, I was just wondering if you would be willing to publish a full list of those projects and beneficiaries, and the values they've received.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Okay, helpful. Thank you, Chair.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Fab. Just moving on to national minimum standards, just an update on the consolidation of a regulatory baseline, and whether you think legislation is needed on that.
