6. What measures is the Welsh Government putting in place to ensure that farmers can make the best of the opportunities provided to the farming industry post-Brexit? OQ55682

Thank you. Welsh Government remain fully committed to supporting farmers after exiting the EU. I have confirmed the level of basic subsidy will be unchanged in 2021 and recently announced over £106 million of investment in a range of schemes over the next three years to support farming and our rural economy.

Well, I thank the Minister for that answer and I must say that it's very encouraging—the interventions that you mentioned. Minister, I mentioned last week in my question to the Counsel General, and I make no apologies for mentioning it again, that British farmers are amongst the most efficient and innovative farmers in the world and are capable, given the right resources and incentives, of vastly increasing the food they produce for the British public. There is much outcry from some sources against so-called 'chlorinated' washed chicken and other products from the USA, but we heard no such outcry against imports of pork products from the continent, where pigs were kept in appalling conditions, often in cages stacked three high. Does the Minister not agree with me that husbandry standards in the UK are amongst the best in the world, and far above those practised in many parts of Europe, especially in the new acquisition states? Therefore, is it not the case that the more home-grown foods we can produce, the better? We will not only see the benefit in the quality of the food we eat, but also gain huge environmental advantages in that our food will no longer be transported to our tables from thousands of miles across Europe.

Touching on the comments earlier by colleague Llyr Gruffydd, if we cannot export to the EU, then ipso facto they cannot export to us. This would leave a huge void in the UK market for all UK meat products and all UK food products. Does the Minister not agree the consequences of a 'no deal' scenario cut both ways?

No, I don't. I have to say, my focus is not on British farming, it's on Welsh farming. We've done a great deal of work to support the agricultural sector, particularly since 2016, following the referendum to leave the European Union. So, we want to make our agricultural sector and our farmers and their businesses as competitive and as sustainable as possible. We've put significant funding—ironically, from the EU—into making sure we focus on the red meat sector and on the dairy sector, to ensure that farmers were able to make their businesses as resilient as possible.

I am very proud of the animal health and welfare standards we have here in Wales, and our food standards, and I want to ensure that that continues. I'm sure we can find pockets of bad practice all across the world, but my focus is on Wales and Welsh farmers. 

Andrew R.T. Davies. Are you able to unmute yourself, Andrew R.T. Davies? It's not looking possible, is it? No. I think that's a 'no'. I'm going to have to move on.

Question 7—Michelle Brown.