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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:00 pm on 13 May 2020.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 6:00, 13 May 2020

Thank you, Jack. At the moment, officials are doing a little bit of research, if you like, about just whether brewers are accessing the COVID-19 loans, the grants, and relief that is available. You'll be aware that, pre-COVID-19, we've offered a great deal of support for the drinks sector. We've got the drinks cluster, of which you're aware, and we do provide a great deal of support to brewers and to the drinks sector generally.

I think you're right about the future; I think there is some concern with brewers. I was talking with—you'll be very aware of them—Wrexham Lager, which you visited, in my constituency, and they're a business that have managed to get out online, and they've also been doing deliveries. And they are obviously concerned that people's behaviour has been changed in relation to—. Obviously, the pubs have been closed, the hospitality sector, so there is clearly concern that people's way of—the way they drink might change; they've now been drinking at home. So, I think there is a concern. 

So, as I say, we're doing a bit of research to see what funding they can access, but I think we need to look in the longer term, and, certainly, the food and drink industry advisory board, they've been looking at issues around this also, and will be advising me as we go forward. 

You'll be aware of Project HELIX as well. You will have heard me talk about Project HELIX before. There are a lot of technical services that they provide to the breweries, which I think we'll need to take forward too. But I know that a few of them have been able to obtain, just from that initial research that officials have been doing, they have been able to obtain a number of Government schemes. But, also, there could be some falling through the gaps, if you like, so we may need to revisit this once that piece of research has been finished.