Questions now from the party spokespeople. Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Llyr Gruffydd. 

Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, you will know, I'm sure, that a criminal investigation is now under way into the fire at the Hafod landfill site— 

I'm sorry, Presiding Officer; I can't hear. 

Oh, right. I can hear. Llyr, can you just—

I can hear now. Sorry, Llyr. 

Okay, we're all fine. We can go. Go, Llyr. 

I was just asking, Minister, that I'm sure you will be aware of the criminal investigation that's under way into the fire at the Hafod landfill site, near Wrexham, earlier this month. And both Natural Resources Wales and the company that runs the site have told me that they don't actually know what started the fire. Now, in that case, do you not think it wise to not allow the company to continue dumping there, prior to the criminal investigation being concluded? 

So, I was assured by NRW that it was completely safe to carry on. I have a meeting with NRW tomorrow. I only found out about the event that you've just referred to recently. So, I will certainly be raising it with NRW tomorrow, and get some more assurance and then I'm very happy to write to the Member following my meeting tomorrow to update him. 

Well, I'm sure a number of people will be bemused that they're allowed to carry on without knowing exactly what caused the fire. So, I would urge you, Minister—and I have raised this with you before—to make sure that action is taken sooner rather than later. Because obviously the local community didn't want it in the first place, and now we see some of the consequences of that development. 

Now, you referred to Natural Resources Wales in your response to me, of course, and they are key in protecting our environment, responding to pollution incidents such as this, but also the flooding response that we're seeing in different parts of Wales over recent months and, more broadly, the climate emergency and nature emergency that we're facing. And I've previously raised concerns with you regarding the funding of Natural Resources Wales over recent years, and the fact that they really are on an unsustainable trajectory of dwindling resources driven by funding cuts on the one hand, and then, on the other, increased duties and responsibilities. So, effectively, this Government is asking NRW to do more with less.

They already saw a real-terms cut in their budget for this year and now they're facing, of course, as you know, a £7.5 million further cut to their in-year budget. Now, if you add in the multi-million pound losses projected for the timber operations that they have, then this is really becoming critical. So, in light of their key role in protecting the environment, in responding to flooding and in leading the charge against the climate emergency, will you now reconsider the proposed budget cut for Natural Resources Wales?  

So, I think, again, I referred to this in my answers during committee, and we are working very hard with NRW. We don't want to be in this position, where we had to reset and repurpose our budget so soon in the financial year, but I'm sure all Members will appreciate, with the COVID-19 pandemic, it was absolutely essential that we did that. When I met with NRW about two or three weeks ago, I asked them for their assessment around non grant-in-aid funding, and I think it's really important that we do look at the—if indeed they have a reduction of that. I know they're waiting for the June timber figures before they give us some firmer information around that.

What I do think is really important is that we work with them to make sure they have the flexibility around their budgets. So, this is the top agenda item tomorrow. But, at the moment, with the way we've had to, obviously, put money into the COVID-19 pandemic response, I'm afraid I'm not able to look at that budget cut in the way that you would want me to. But, as I say, we've all had to do this, and everyone has to appreciate, with the COVID-19 pandemic, there isn't going to be the same level of funding that would have been available.

I understand the point you're making, but, of course, we are facing more than one crisis at the moment, and I think that needs to be remembered as well.

There is one other issue that I would like to raise with you, if I may, Minister, and that, of course, is the cluster of cases of COVID-19 that we've seen in meat processing plants in Wales, and that reflects what we've seen in other nations such as the USA and Germany and so on. And what I want to know is what you as Minister and what the Welsh Government are doing in responding proactively to these situations. Rather then waiting for cases to arise, shouldn't we now be developing a testing programme specifically targeted at processing plants such as these so that we can catch these cases at an early stage and reduce risks that that would spread into the community?

Thank you. I asked my officials to do a rapid piece of work. We've called this an initial density and environment risk assessment of not just meat processing plants and abattoirs, but also all our food businesses. That piece of work is well under way—I'm expecting an initial report by close of play today—because I think it is important that we look at what's happened internationally. You mentioned America and Germany, which have seen similar outbreaks and clusters. It's really important that we learn lessons. It's also important that we learn lessons from our own meat processing plants. So, if you think about—well, probably all of them, they've got sister companies in other countries. I know that they themselves—so, Kepak, 2 Sisters, Dunbia—are all looking within their own organisations and are feeding in to my officials with this. So, this is a very rapid piece of work, as I say, and I will be getting the report today, because I think it's very important that we continue to work very closely together.

So, obviously, I've been having discussions with the health Minister. Public Health Wales are, obviously, very involved as well, and the local authorities and the health boards, and our test, trace, protect I think has really been tested and has come through. But we obviously need to keep a very close eye on this.

Conservative spokesperson, Andrew R.T. Davies.

Thank you, Presiding Officer. Minister, if I could just take you up on the point you raised in response to Llyr's last question, will you be making that report available for Members to see? Because I think there's a lot of public interest in this at the moment, and it'd be important to understand what conclusions have come out from the report that you've commissioned. And, secondly, within that report, will it identify are there problem areas within the plant? Because, as someone who is familiar with plants that process food in this way, very often, the conditions that we find in the winter of the chill and the cold are very much found in the processing side, rather than in the lairage or in the slaughter hall. So, is that level of work that you're undertaking, or indeed the health Minister's undertaking, specific to trying to locate an area of the plant that is susceptible to the COVID-19 virus? But, more importantly, will the overall report be made available for Members to see?

So, this assessment that I asked—this is my food division, that I asked—officials to have a look at, and we're doing it very closely with Food Innovation Wales—. Professor David Lloyd and Martin Jardine—you'll be very aware of both of them—are leading on this piece of work. And because I wanted it done very quickly, it's really important that we asked for assistance.

Will I be making it public? It's there to help us as Ministers and the Welsh Government to provide guidance for these companies. I don't know what there—. You know, if there were anything to say that I can't make it public—but, as you know, I'm a very transparent Minister, and, if I can make it public, then I'll be very happy to do so. I think it's really important that—the points that you raise. So, we know the virus can live much longer on cold stainless steel, for instance, than it does outside. So, clearly, for those of us who have been in those sorts of organisations and places, we know that they are very cold. Last week, we were told that noise can have an impact. So, again, some of these places are very noisy, so that could be having an impact too.

Clearly, the 2m distancing, in some areas—we've seen production lines—it is very difficult and I know companies have been very thorough in trying to maintain that, but clearly there are a lot of issues and the idea of having this rapid review was to see what was there and what we could help with, and I mentioned in my answer to Llyr that there is a lot of best practice, and, of course, companies and organisations are competitive, but I know everybody is really keen to share that best practice.

Well, I appreciate your transparency, Minister, and I would implore you to make that report available if there are no constraints on you making it available. There might be some legal constraints that I'm unaware of, but, if that could be made available, I think it would be appreciated.

Last week, the Northern Ireland Executive announced a £25 million support package for agriculture in relation to the COVID-19 crisis. The Republic of Ireland Government has put a £45 million support package in place for the agricultural industry. Have you had discussions with the finance Minister, given the consequentials that have come down and the additional economic resilience measures that have been made available to other sectors in the Welsh economy—have you had a conversation with the finance Minister to see whether a similar level of support could be put in place to support the agricultural industry, which in certain circumstances has seen price decreases of 15 to 20 per cent in the price margin that they can sell their product into, and into a sector that has very often closed down, such as the service sector?

I'm sorry. My computer froze for a little while, but I think I got the main gist of your question, Andrew. I have lots of conversations with the finance Minister, as I'm sure you will appreciate, around various aspects of my portfolio. I made it very clear at the beginning that we would look on a case-by-case basis if any parts of the agricultural sector came to me for funding, and that was obviously—. The dairy sector came first. So, that was due to many conversations with the finance Minister and with other ministerial colleagues that we had the funding to have the dairy sector scheme, and that was obviously because of the specific market circumstances in relation to dairy, which I don't think are in other parts of the agricultural sector at the current time.

So, I haven't got the funding available to do what you just referred to that the Northern Ireland Executive have done, but, obviously, on a case-by-case basis, we would have a look at it. I meet fortnightly now with the farming unions and I know that they will be the first to tell me if they feel that there is an area of agriculture that we need to be looking at.

I think I understood from your reply, Minister, that you haven't made such an application to the finance Minister. I'd merely point out that, with such moneys going into our competitors in Northern Ireland and the Republic, in the medium to long term, this will place the agricultural sector at a severe disadvantage.

Last week, you announced a consultation on third-party puppy sales and obviously the campaign around Lucy's law has galvanised many Members across the Chamber from all political parties. As I understand it, that consultation is due to close in the middle of August. If you get a fair wind in the legislative time frame, when do you expect this to be entered into the Assembly so that we can discuss how this can be taken forward? Because, with dissolution now on 31 March, there's a huge pressure to try and get this on the statute book before, obviously, we go into dissolution. Can you give us confidence that, as a Minister, you will get this on the statute book by dissolution on 31 March?

That's certainly my intention and I was grateful to the Member and all members of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee for their commitment to help me do that. I've had the shortest consultation that I could have. We have done consultations before, but obviously there is a process we have to go through. But I certainly hope in early 2021 to be in the position to get that on the statute book.

Question 3—Dawn Bowden.

Yes, I think we can hear you now.

Okay. Thank you, Llywydd. I was having trouble unmuting then. I do apologise.