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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:20 pm on 13 May 2020.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 5:20, 13 May 2020

Thank you very much, Andrew Davies, for that list of questions and, clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the civil service and the officials working for us, but I can assure you that even though, obviously, staff are working from home, everyone is working very hard to make sure that we continue, particularly with the grants and the single farm payments and the applications, as you suggest, and I can assure you that that work will continue, and, clearly, if a bottleneck did appear, then we would have to move staff around. So, I had a meeting today with my directors, and, certainly, we're making sure that staff are able to do this work in a way that we would hope to see. So, that work is, clearly, carrying on.

In relation to the dairy support I announced on Saturday, obviously, we're still working through that. The funding is coming from my own main expenditure group. I think it will cost up to £1 million, but we have found that money from my own budget. Initial analysis of how many farms will be affected—I think it will be around 100 that will probably come forward for that support.

In relation to Lucy's law, I'm meeting with the chief veterinary officer and other officials tomorrow to discuss that. As I said in committee last week, it is still a priority for me and for the Welsh Government. Clearly, the legislative programme has had an impact as well, so these are all things that we need to work through. You're quite right about the effect on the farming and rural community, and, again, on the rural development programme, we are in the process of carrying out a detailed analysis of the challenges relating to the RDP, so no decisions have been made yet. What I've asked officials to look at is what RDP-funded activity cannot now proceed—if there is anything that can't proceed or can't deliver—how the budget pressures across Welsh Government will impact on the RDP, and how we would respond to that. So, there's detailed consideration being given to the options going forward.

In relation to the 15 per cent pillar transfer that you referred to, my answer is still the same: we are still awaiting—. Whilst we've had confirmation from UK Government, we haven't received the funding. That money will come to the Welsh Government and, obviously, the decisions will be taken then.

In relation to the draft agricultural pollution regulations I published about five weeks ago, your question around the RIA and the impact of COVID-19—. So, at the moment, we are continuing to work with stakeholders to develop the RIA, and drafts of the RIA are now with those stakeholders and we've invited, obviously, comments and advice from them. We have obviously started to have that information being considered, and, obviously, the final RIA will be published alongside any regulations so that Members of the Senedd will be able to scrutinise that. So, that work, again, is still ongoing. So, obviously, with the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, that can be fed into the RIA.