6. Statement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:32 pm on 13 May 2020.

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Photo of Llyr Gruffydd Llyr Gruffydd Plaid Cymru 5:32, 13 May 2020

I've no problem with you making announcements on Saturdays; it's just a case of maybe copying us in when you inform people within the sector that certain announcements are being made as well. Because we are here primarily to scrutinise you as Minister and, frankly, it's quite embarrassing for us to be told by external organisations that you have made announcements as significant as this. I think, in future, it would be courteous, let's say, to keep us in the loop as well. 

Now, clearly, the beef sector are in a precarious position as well, facing significant losses, and they see clear parallels between themselves and many of those in the dairy sector. They are also wondering what action the Government is taking to support them. Clearly, you've outlined initiatives around Hybu Cig Cymru and promoting some of the produce and hopefully strengthening some of the market demand out there, but I did ask you in committee last week about more direct interventions to support the beef sector as well, and I asked you about some of the criteria you would use. I didn't quite really get clarity around your thinking there, so maybe you could expand a little bit, having had some time to reflect on it, on what kind of criteria would trigger a similar intervention in relation to the beef sector. I think many out there would appreciate just to understand your thinking around that. 

I also asked you about the sustainable grant scheme, which has a closing date of 19 May, next week, but those applications require quotations for capital works, infrastructure reports, et cetera, which are impossible to compile without getting onto the farms, and that can't be done, of course, in the current climate. So, can you—having said that you'd look at it with your officials immediately after the meeting—tell us whether there is to be an extension to the sustainable grant scheme closing date? 

And Welsh Government, through Rural Payments Wales, I'm told, has decided to suspend all financial support for the private forestry sector for the foreseeable future. The reason, I'm told, for that is that savings are necessary to meet the extra costs of dealing with the pandemic. So, can you confirm whether that's true?

Also, picking up on the earlier question about funding some of the additional interventions that you now require as a result of the pandemic, could you explain to us how you're prioritising or reprioritising budgets within your department and explain where particularly you're removing the money to be invested in other places? Thank you.