Agricultural Funding

Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:27 pm on 2 December 2020.

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Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 3:27, 2 December 2020

We haven't got a Secretary of State for Wales, we've got a Secretary of State for the Tory Party, because as far as I'm concerned, he's never stood up for Wales, and his predecessor played the same game. So, that's the first thing I would ask the Conservatives here today to do is to ask for a Secretary of State for Wales, one who looks after the interests of Wales.

As the Minister has said, we've been asked here by first of all, Andrew R.T. Davies, to protect that budget with 100 per cent committed to its spend, and again by Angela Burns in May 2020, welcoming the announcement. So, there is real confusion in your camp that you need to sort out, because either you didn't understand what was happening, or you were completely unable to understand what was happening, and I think you need to answer those questions within your group. And I think it would be a really good idea here to stand up for Wales, not the Conservative Party, and actually put forward a real claim and not just accept the letter, because I've had a few from him too, but actually fight the corner for Wales. Because the farmers here have made it perfectly clear that this is going to be detrimental to them in the way that they can survive, going forward. That would be something I hope, Minister, and I'm sure that you will do, and that is to ask the Secretary of State for the Tory Party to revert to becoming the Secretary of State for Wales.