Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 1:42 pm on 14 October 2020.

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Photo of Llyr Gruffydd Llyr Gruffydd Plaid Cymru 1:42, 14 October 2020

I'm glad you share my concerns. I'm not sure that that gives me the assurances I was looking for. I didn't hear any specifics, other than 'ongoing discussions'. Now, we're 12 weeks away, of course, from this potential eventuality, and your Government needs to be ready to implement actions in 12 weeks' time. I was hoping to hear, maybe, how you were looking to ramp up cold storage capacity, to handle surplus produce that will no longer be exported. I was hoping that you'd maybe tell us how public procurement would be stepping up to the plate in order to try and absorb more domestic produce. Maybe you could tell us what discussions you're having with the UK Government to ensure that the risks of 'no deal' aren't escalated by trade deals with Australia and New Zealand potentially allowing for an increase in quota for lamb exports coming into the UK from those countries. 

Also, we saw reports last week that 2 million UK lamb carcasses may go to waste under a 'no deal' Brexit. Can you tell us, Minister, whether your Government is now planning to handle thousands and thousands of tonnes of additional food waste that potentially you will have to handle as a result of a 'no deal' Brexit?