[R] signifies the Member has declared an interest. [W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.

I now call on Simon Thomas to ask the second urgent question.

Will the Minister make a statement on steps the Welsh Government is taking to protect birds in Wales from avian flu? EAQ(5)0075(ERA)

Diolch. I declared Wales as an avian influenza prevention zone, a precautionary measure to help prevent infection from wild birds. Working closely with England and Scotland, we are monitoring the situation and have increased surveillance. I have urged keepers to improve biosecurity and be vigilant for signs of disease.

I’d like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for that brief statement. There was some confusion this morning when we heard on the news that there was a ban on keeping poultry in the open air in England and Scotland, without any mention of Wales. It’s clear now that the rule is being implemented in Wales also. Can I ask the Minister, therefore, just a few questions that I think are relevant?

First of all, has this been agreed jointly? The Minister said that there is collaboration, but was anything jointly agreed between the Welsh Government, the Westminster Government—DEFRA, which is responsible for England—and Scotland? And for how long, therefore, will this prohibition, or these rules, be in place? As we are approaching Christmas and perhaps the life expectancy of some of this poultry isn’t particularly long anyway, but, having said that, there are important businesses in Pembrokeshire producing turkeys, such as Cuckoo Mill Farm, and there is a free-range company in Cardigan—Postance and so on. All sorts of companies are preparing for Christmas and preparing to sell this produce. Does the Government need to take any specific steps to establish the public’s trust in the food chain, because the Government will know that, in the past, any risk of avian flu has raised concerns about produce, particularly meat in our shops? I hope we can avoid any sort of fear of that kind. The final question is: are there any specific steps that the Government is recommending, or intends to recommend, to food producers involved with poultry that could be taken during the next few weeks?

Thank you. Well, the press release did go out from my office last night, so I’m not quite sure why the press release wasn’t picked up. That’s not something, obviously, I have control over. The decision wasn’t taken jointly with UK Government, with DEFRA, or with Scotland. I had conversations with our chief veterinary officer yesterday. She has been in very close contact with, obviously, the CVOs from Scotland and England also. The order I signed last night is for 30 days, so it will last until 6 January. During that period of time, we will continue to monitor very closely. As I said, it is a precautionary measure that we’ve taken. I think the issue you raised about public trust in the food chain is very important, so it’s very good to have the opportunity here. I know the Food Standards Agency has said that the current scientific evidence or advice is that bird flu does not pose a food safety risk to UK consumers. Eggs are safe, for instance. I think it’s also very important for me to say that there have been no cases of avian flu found in Wales or in the UK, but we are monitoring the situation very closely.

Cabinet Secretary, the outbreak of this virus is not a new issue, and, as you know, I already tabled questions on this very matter last week, so I welcome the opportunity to hear more about the Welsh Government’s action on this particular matter. I’m pleased that today you’ve announced that a 30-day prevention zone across Wales will now take place. Now, it is crucial that there are adequate funding and resources in place to ensure that agencies are confident that they have what they need to deliver disease control measures in Wales in the event of an outbreak. So, can you tell us what additional support and funding the Welsh Government is considering should the disease threat escalate? The Welsh Government also has a duty to effectively communicate any precautionary measures within the poultry industry and the wider animal welfare network in Wales. So, can you tell us what guidance and support the Welsh Government is giving to those affected by this announcement to ensure they fully understand the situation and what is required of them? Cabinet Secretary, you have made it clear that your department is monitoring the situation across Europe. Perhaps you can tell us a bit more about the specific work that has already been undertaken in Wales to identify the level of disease threat. I know that work has taken place elsewhere in the UK, but it is crucial that the Welsh Government also establishes its own monitoring arrangements to ensure that no stone is left unturned. Therefore, can you update us on the work that your department has done in recent weeks?

Thank you for those questions. I should say that the risk level of avian influenza incursion into the UK is at ‘medium’ for wild birds—that has been raised from ‘low but heightened’—and is at ‘low but heightened’ for domestic poultry. As I say, I do want to say very clearly that this is a precautionary message. I haven’t been asked for any additional funding. I think, when a decision like this is taken, there are obviously, again, precautionary measures in place with our poultry keepers et cetera to make sure that they are able to react very quickly to these decisions.

I mentioned that the chief veterinary officers work very closely together. When I was talking to our chief veterinary officer yesterday, it was very clear that she had been having discussions with her team. There are no cases, as I say, in Wales or in the UK. As far as I am aware, the nearest case to us is Calais in France, and that’s been there for a little while. There are 14 countries across the EU and Russia that have cases of avian influenza, and I thought it was really important to bring this prevention zone forward. I know that England and Scotland did it. As I say, the decision wasn’t taken very jointly, but I thought it was good to have a GB-wide decision in this case. I do want to assure Members and the public that we will continue to monitor this very carefully.

Thank you to the Cabinet Secretary.