Diolch, Lywydd. I am pleased to close this important debate. I should state from the outset that my parents-in-law’s farm has been affected by bovine TB over the last 15 years and I know, from personal experience, how devastating it is, emotionally and financially.

Today’s debate has been about getting the message across to the Welsh Government that cattle measures and cattle restrictions alone will not eradicate this awful disease. It will need a holistic approach, which includes using all the tools in the box to eliminate bovine TB in cattle and in our wildlife population. It’s quite clear that we need far more comprehensive action to be taken by the Welsh Government on this issue.

Could I thank all Members who have taken part in this debate? It’s been a very good debate and I know that there are significant differences in how we should go about tackling this disease, but I know that all Members want to see bovine TB eradicated from our communities.

Simon Thomas opened the debate and set the scene by providing an overview of bovine TB, quoting some of the devastating statistics involved with this disease and the consequences of this disease on farming families and how we need to deal with this disease effectively and in a far more comprehensive way.

He’s absolutely right that Welsh farmers need and deserve more support and how a much more comprehensive package must now be delivered to support our farming industry. He also referred to the importance of tackling bovine TB in the context of Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, and he is right to say that this follows deep concerns from the farming unions, which are right to say that the current disease status has the potential to be a challenging negotiation tool, especially given the vacuum created by post-vaccination failure. The inability of the Welsh Government to address this issue will certainly not make our produce any more attractive to other countries and could seriously damage any trade negotiations. I appreciate that the Cabinet Secretary has only been in her role for the last few months, but her engagements over the summer with the industry must have emphasised the importance of this matter to our future farming industry and our economy. The Welsh Government wants to increase Welsh food and drink sales by 30 per cent to £7 billion, which is a great aim. However, failing to deal with issues such as bovine TB will harm the chances of reaching that target and harm our ability to sell to new markets.

Now, Joyce Watson, in her contribution, also voiced her opposition to a cull of wildlife and a cull of badgers and said that other policies must be pursued to tackle this disease. Whilst I very much respect her view, she will not be surprised to hear that we’ll have to agree to disagree on how best to go about eradicating bovine TB. She also mentioned that we need to improve the test, but in the BVA briefing last week, it was made clear that the test is appropriate and that it has been used in countries where the incidence of bovine TB has been reduced dramatically. So, the test is fine. What we need is a more comprehensive approach.

I welcome Neil Hamilton’s contribution to this debate and his broad support for more comprehensive action to tackle bovine TB. He also quoted some of the devastating statistics this disease is having on our farming communities.

Mark Isherwood raised the BVA briefing and their evidence, which I’ve also found very informative as well. And it’s reinforced, I think, the support for more action from the veterinary industry.

Llyr Gruffydd reiterated the importance of tackling bovine TB and the importance of dealing with this matter, particularly given the huge impact this is having on farming families. He also referred to the failure of successive Welsh Governments in dealing with this issue. He was also right in saying how important it is that the Welsh Government listen to the experts, and, of course, the experts in this case are the BVA, the veterinary association, and the farming unions.

In his contribution, Mark Reckless said we shouldn’t be overtly entrenched in our views, and that’s why it is important to tackle this disease holistically and that’s why it’s important to use all the tools available to the Welsh Government.

Russell George in his contribution talked about the emotional impact that this disease is having on farmers. And he, of course, quoted his constituents and the devastating impact this is having on them.

Caroline Jones talked about the importance of tackling bovine TB, and concentrated her remarks on badger culling.

I listened very carefully to the Cabinet Secretary’s response, and I’m pleased that she did say that we have to deal with the disease in cattle and in the wildlife population. However, since the Assembly election, there has been a vacuum, I think, in Welsh Government policy on this matter, with no clear direction on how the Government intends to tackle bovine TB. I hope, therefore, that the Cabinet Secretary will now reflect on Members’ contributions today and actually deliver a package of support for Welsh farmers that deals with this disease once and for all. So, I urge Members to actually vote for this motion this afternoon.