Thank you. We now turn to spokespeople's questions. And I call the party spokesperson for Plaid Cymru, Llyr Gruffydd.

Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, you told this Assembly, in light of the recent flooding a few weeks ago, that you had organised a meeting with the chair and chief executive of NRW, and that the resources available—be they human or financial resources—would be at the top of the agenda for that meeting. Can you give us an update on the discussion that you had and what was agreed at that meeting?

Yes. So, I met with the chair and chief executive of Natural Resources Wales yesterday and I think it's another opportunity, Deputy Presiding Officer, to pay tribute to the NRW staff who worked tirelessly, and are still working tirelessly, now for, it's probably getting on for a month now, isn't it, since we first had storm Ciara? We did discuss, obviously, the flooding in great detail. I think it took up probably three quarters of the meeting. There are clearly some issues around human resources. So, I think there's just over 300 staff who work in NRW on flooding. There are some vacancies still, and whilst we have seen a drop in the number of vacancies, there are still some vacancies that they are seeking to fill. In relation to funding, further funding was offered should they need it in the initial response to the clean-up. At the present time, they don't need that funding, but clearly that offer is still on the table. 

It is disappointing that there are vacant posts, because, of course, they have been shown up at a moment when all that workforce was required—and I join with you in paying tribute to those who were working—but at that time when they needed to be at their very best, unfortunately they didn't have a full complement of staff. Now, I've consistently raised with you—and you will be aware of this—the need to ensure that core resources are available for NRW, and that they are sufficient. It's a matter of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted, very often, if something happens and then the funding is made available. That funding should be in place year on year to ensure that the capacity is in place.

Many of those who have suffered floods are now facing a long journey when it comes to restoring their properties, and the first step, after cleaning up the initial mess, will be the dry-out process, and they will need dehumidifiers and industrial heaters in order to do that. And, of course, there will be energy and heating costs that could be very substantial as a result of that. I am aware, of course, that the Government itself is offering some support, but I want to return to a point that I have raised with you previously, namely this fact that we do see ad hoc levels of support across Wales, where those who suffer in Wales see very different levels of support available in different areas, and it's not just differences between England and Wales, which occur of course, but even within Wales, where we see differences in support in south Wales as opposed to north Wales, for example.

Can I ask you, in principle, are you comfortable with a position where there is a different level of support available for people dependent on where they live? It is a kind of postcode lottery. And if you're not comfortable with that principle, then what are you as a Government doing to work with local authorities to ensure that everyone, wherever they are in Wales, receives the same support that they deserve?

So, just to go back to your initial comments around NRW, as I said to you, I made it very clear yesterday that there was further funding, not just from—actually, very little from my portfolio; the majority of the funding that we are bringing forward comes from my colleague Julie James's portfolio. I've made sure that there's funding from my portfolio in relation to the clean-up operation and what's needed immediately, and NRW stressed that at the current time they did not need any additional funding. And certainly they are trying very hard to fill those vacancies, but you will appreciate that flood engineers, for instance, are not people that you can acquire very easily, but they have been working hard and we have seen a reduction in the number of vacancies that they did have, certainly since back in the autumn, when I first raised that concern with them.

In relation to the level of support, you will be aware that it doesn't matter where you live in Wales, the level of funding and support we are giving to households whether they're insured or not insured is absolutely the same. I assume that you are referring to the fact that Rhondda Cynon Taf council are also giving £500 to each household that's been flooded. It's a matter for each local authority whether they decide to give that additional funding. I know your next question is probably going to be, 'Well, some councils can afford it more easily than others.' I don't think any council can afford it easily. I think they've looked at their reserves, the level of reserves they've kept for a rainy day, if you pardon the pun, and clearly they've chosen to do that.

Well, you haven't answered my question because I asked whether you were comfortable with the principle that people were receiving different levels of support based on where they were in Wales, and what you were doing to work with local authorities to see if you could bring their level of commitment up to where it should be. You didn't address that, but there we are, maybe you'll do so in a moment. 

Yesterday I attended a meeting of the cross-party group on woodlands, forestry and timber, and attention was drawn to the fact that one of the trees that has the biggest role in tackling flooding was the particular strain of tree that is used to capture floodwaters.

Now, we know very well that very many of these trees are dying because of ash tree disease. But I now know that the project board working on that disease in trees hasn't met for very many months. Given the importance of ash in terms of addressing flood, and very importantly in terms of the risk to public safety in seeing these trees dying and falling, why hasn't that group met for so long? How seriously is the Government taking ash dieback disease and what are the next steps that you will take in terms of tackling that particular disease?

I will have to write to the Member with an update on the last meeting of the ash dieback disease group, because I don't have those figures to hand. 

In relation to 'am I comfortable?' I don't really think that's a matter for me. If a local authority wants to give extra support to a household that's been traumatised by flooding, who am I to say that that local authority shouldn't do that? I think, certainly at the flood summit that the First Minister convened in recess—both myself and my colleague Julie James were there—there were quite a few representatives from a variety of local authorities from right across Wales; certainly, the Welsh Local Government Association leader, Andrew Morgan, was there, who obviously is the leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. They were very grateful for the funding that was given from Welsh Government, but I do think it is a matter for each local authority. If they choose to support their residents in that way, well, that's a matter for them, not for me.

Conservative spokesperson, Andrew R.T. Davies.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, at the moment, all the news seems to be about coronavirus, and rightly so, and the concerns that Government are addressing through their various summits and meetings. Your department has a critical role to play, especially in the farm support system, and this is a critical period of time, with the single farm payment application window now open and closing on 15 May. Many applications for calf passports, for example, are very time-sensitive—have to be in by a certain date, as do grant applications.

What discussions have you had within the department about, if, as is forecast, there could be as much as a 20 per cent absentee rate because of sickness in departments and work places? Have you modelled that into the way you will handle the applications around the single farm payment window, and other important grant applications, as well as inspections, because, otherwise, if force majeure isn't a consideration, many businesses—rural businesses—that depend on these application windows could fall foul of the system?

Well, clearly, this is a piece of work that is being done right across Government. We had an additional Cabinet meeting this morning specifically on coronavirus, and every department obviously is looking at the impact of the disease, and, as you say, my department—you're referring to obviously the internal workings of my department, but we're looking at it right across Government. Clearly, a lot of our staff can work from home, which is helpful if they need to self-isolate, et cetera, but we are going to have to look at those who can't do their job from home, obviously, and inspections is clearly one. 

This will be something that we will continually start to work up now we've seen some of the projected figures and the reasonably worst scenario. So, this is an ongoing piece of work. We'll have to be very flexible. It's the same for this Chamber, isn't it? If 20 per cent or more of us are unable to attend the Senedd sittings, obviously business will be affected. So, this is something that we're looking at right across Government, and I'm sure the Commission are too.

I'm grateful for that answer, and I appreciate we're very much in the foothills at the moment, because the condition is obviously unfolding before us, but, for many rural businesses, there are very stiff penalties and sanctions if you don't hit those dates, especially with your application for single farm payment support. I use a very simple description as well about calf passports—if it's not registered within 28 days and processed, obviously then the animal is just discarded for human consumption, it is. And so, I'd be grateful, when you're in possession of better information—better-quality information, if you like, which could give indications of what measures you're putting in place to deal with maybe missed deadlines and worst-case scenarios so that people can have confidence that they will not be penalised because it is through no fault of their own—. Also, could I understand from you, Minister, how your department is interacting with the food supply chain? Because, again, if you look at the forecast ahead, with a 20 per cent absentee rate because of illness and the condition unfolding—and the peak months are May and June, we're told by the medical professionals—what work is the Welsh Government doing with food producers—and processors, importantly—to make sure that the food supply chain here in Wales is robust, and ultimately can deliver into shops and into the catering establishments that people require on a day-to-day basis?

If I can take your first point first, I think we have to have that flexibility and I think Julie James's portfolio is a classic example of how you have to have that flexibility, and something we've done in flooding and I think—. I probably may get a question on this later, but Rhianon Passmore certainly raised it with the First Minister yesterday and that was about, if a local authority is collecting flood-damaged furniture, for instance, from people's homes, would that be counted against their recycling targets? And the First Minister and the Minister for Housing and Local Government made it very clear that there will be flexibility around that, and I think it will be the same now. As this continues to unfold, we're going to have to have that flexibility, and, again, working with, obviously, food processors, food producers, that is clearly something we're going to have to work on. It's also—. I've been asked a question now about do companion animals, for instance, carry coronavirus and the short answer is: at the moment, we have no evidence of that, but clearly we need to keep a watching eye on that. So, there is so much early work that is now having to be accelerated, I think, in light of the action plan that came out for the four countries yesterday, et cetera.

Given, obviously, we've talked extensively in this Chamber about nitrate vulnerable zones here, and the Government regulations around NVZs, are you in a position to say whether the regulations, as you envisage them, will be tabled before the end of this term—prior to Easter, obviously? Because, again, not wishing to be alarmist, but, with such major change in the rules and regulations, if the coronavirus does spread out as envisaged, with massive implications over the help and support that might be there—we're talking, as I said, about 20 per cent of the workforce being off at any one time—is that really a sensible time to be bringing forward such major changes? I can hear some Labour backbenchers saying 'yes'. Well, obviously that's the view that they might have, but, ultimately, if you're on the receiving end of these regulations and rule changes as envisaged, you're going to need quite a bit of help and support to (a) understand them, (b) implement them, and (c) and not fall foul of the rules and end up in court because of them. So, I ask you: are those regulations anticipated to be with us before Easter, and, if the coronavirus does unfold as projected, would it be sensible now to delay the implementation of such regulations until we're in a more robust position to make sure that help and support can be put in place so people don't fall foul of the rules and regulations?

They will be tabled before the end of this term.