Animal Welfare

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:24 pm on 15 September 2021.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:24, 15 September 2021

I think it's like anything in life: if you're really involved with an issue, then obviously your understanding is better. Certainly, there was a huge amount of media interest, as you say, in the case of Geronimo. It is really important that we continue to do all we can to get rid of this dreadful disease.

I will be bringing forward a refresh of the TB eradication programme. As you know, I report annually to this Chamber every year on our TB eradication programme, and I think I will be making a statement to this Chamber in November. Over the summer, I took the opportunity to meet with Glyn Hewinson, who is an academic based at Aberystwyth University, who I know Llyr Huws Gruffydd is aware of, to hear about not just the research but about vaccination for cattle, for instance. When I first met Glyn, he always told me that vaccination for cattle in relation to TB was 10 years away. We now think that's about four years away, so you can see the progress that we are making.