Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:10 pm on 20 September 2016.
Thank you, First Minister. However, the number of cattle slaughtered as a result of contracting bovine TB has actually seen a sharp increase of 43 per cent over the past 12 months, bringing much misery and financial hardship to our farmers. I understand that the Welsh Government abandoned its own vaccine programme in December, given the levels of human TB and the shortage of vaccine now available. The FUW has stressed the difference in approach and understanding between your Government and policies implemented in England, and without a proactive approach to manage the source of infection in cattle and wildlife, international trade negotiations for Wales could be put at significant risk. Given what can only be described now as a crisis in farming, as regards bovine TB, what immediate action are you taking to resolve this? Will you, as First Minister, make a statement in this Chamber to the Assembly Members, and also to our very worried farmers out there in Wales?