1. What plans does the Welsh Government have to promote Anglesey's food and drink industry? OAQ51371

Diolch. We are promoting our food and drink industry across the UK, and globally, using growth businesses such as Halen Môn as a brand ambassador, and showcasing Dylan's restaurant's new retail products. This, with support for Anglesey's food festivals, demonstrates a comprehensive promotion of Anglesey's excellent food and drink.

Thank you very much, Minister. I am aware that you visited Dylan’s prep kitchen in Llangefni at the end of last week. I’m certainly very proud of the economic development that has followed the growth of the Dylan’s business, which has now become a well-known brand across the north-west of Wales over the past few years. That site that you visited is a site that wasn’t built for Dylan’s, but it was a site development that was built on spec, where Dylan’s has actually developed its own business.

Now, I’ve raised with you in the past the need for sites and premises that are appropriate for food production in Anglesey so that other companies on the island can have somewhere where they can go to develop, to grow and to employ more people. I have been given some positive signals from you in the past, but, to date, there have been no developments. Can you confirm that you are still supportive of the principle and give me an update on any steps that the Government is taking, or could take, in order to ensure that premises are available for food production companies on Anglesey so that they can develop and grow?

Thank you. You're quite right, I did attend the prep kitchen for Dylan's restaurant in Llangefni. I also went to the restaurant in Menai Bridge and sampled some fantastic local seafood.

I noticed on that site in Llangefni there were also other food companies, but, as you say, it wasn't built specifically for that. And I'm obviously well aware that we met—I think it was probably about this time last year—and you brought forward the suggestion about making Anglesey a hub. I'm still very keen to do that, to have a national food and drink hub to respond to the opportunities, particularly from the major infrastructures we've got across north Wales. And, as you said yourself, Anglesey is renowned for its food and drink, not just for the couple of companies that we've mentioned.

We've obviously got Food Innovation Wales also based in Llangefni. We obviously back them, along with the other two centres across Wales, and they are a key strategic partner. I've also met with the local further education college to discuss what they're doing around food preparation. So, it is something that we're continuing to look at, and if you want to meet with me again for an update, I'd be very happy to do that.

We've been in correspondence over recent months, on behalf of an Anglesey farmer—a lamb producer—who's highlighted the potential for Welsh lamb exports in, particularly, Saudi Arabia. He's also previously worked for the Meat Hygiene Service. He says the Saudis are far more interested in quality Welsh lamb carcasses than cuts, and, clearly, this will have implications for the importance of extending shelf life. But when he attended a Farming Connect meeting in June, the presentation by Hybu Cig Cymru on exports to Saudi Arabia made no reference to Saudi culture, where they like taking whole lamb carcasses out to the desert to cook.

In one of your replies to me, you said some red meat processors in Wales who export to distant markets are able to achieve a shelf life of 42 days for Welsh lamb products, but when I chased that up, you confirmed that only the Rhug Estate in Corwen is currently able to achieve that 42-day figure. Noting that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has written to me, saying that they're working with the Saudi food and drink authority with a view to gaining market access for UK lamb, what engagement are you having not only in that engagement with DEFRA and the Saudis, but to ensure that Welsh lamb is able to meet the time period and the whole-carcass needs, which will drive access to Saudi Arabia and similar parts of the world?

You raise several important points. Obviously, shelf life is something we're having to look at very carefully, particularly in light of Brexit. You'll be aware that a third of Welsh lamb currently is exported to the EU. So, with all the uncertainty around that, we are having to look at new markets and, obviously, the middle east is one area that we are looking at, and, certainly, my officials too are engaged in relation to that. Carcasses—you're quite right, again; we are looking at the whole of an animal, and I think it's very important that these conversations are held. I was talking with a company at the winter fair on Monday around carcasses also, because, as you say, it is something that the Saudi culture likes to have. So, I just want to assure you that those conversations are ongoing with my officials at the current time.