Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 2:35 pm on 16 December 2020.
Thank you again. Minister, in dealing with the national minimum standards for agriculture, your White Paper states:
'Further, more detailed, consultation on the scope of the National Minimum Standards will accompany this secondary legislation.'
So, there's a feeling that you are once again leaving the details until further down the road. Now, considering that you are intending to make these as broad as possible, consolidating regulations on nitrate vulnerable zones and animal health and welfare legislation into it, stakeholders have said that they believe the timing of the publication will make it harder for farmers to actively participate, and that they feel that this paper simply does not reflect their consistent level of engagement with you on previous consultations.
Just let me remind you that when our hardworking farmers do respond to consultations, a lot of their time and energy goes into that, so this document, and any Bill going forward, must reflect their views. So, having raised concerns with you about engagement before, can you give this Chamber some reassurances that adequate time will be given for farmers to scrutinise these proposals with a target date when this further clarity will be provided? Because, quite simply, as you've rightly pointed out, we're in the middle of COVID still, we're in the middle of a climate emergency, and with all the Brexit negotiations and preparations at the beginning part of the year, it's going to be very difficult—[Interruption.] I don't think the Minister needs any help, Joyce. [Interruption.]