Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition (in respect of his European transition responsibilities) – in the Senedd at 2:52 pm on 11 November 2020.
I do agree with David Melding's concern and his analysis. Welsh lamb is one of our great exports and it's exported to the European Union because there is a good market for it there. It's a near market and it's a significant scale, so protecting that export is absolutely fundamental. We've been advocating that sort of position—and I know that he knows this—for a very long time, and have identified that as one of the key risks. I was genuinely dismayed to hear the comments of the UK Government in relation to the focus that Welsh farmers have placed on the EU market. They've done that for very good economic reasons. It's a big market on the doorstep, so it makes perfect sense to do it, and they've done it exceptionally successfully. I agree with him that if the UK Government doesn't reach a deal that protects their interests, others will fill the market opportunity that that will create.