No, it's fine. I don't agree with you, I think it has given us some really good evidence, and it should be finishing in February next year, but I have committed to doing it for another two years, because I'm told by our advisers, by the chief veterinary officer and by the scientists that it is absolutely vital that we keep that work going, because they do think it's worthwhile.

But I thank you for your questions, and I do not want to keep it static, of course not, and one of the reasons for bringing in the targets back in 2017 and the regionalisation approach was to get that TB-free status as quickly as possible. Certainly, discussions I had, particularly when we were in the European Union, with people at European agricultural councils, et cetera, was that to achieve that the regionalisation approach would really help us. So, if you could have one area in Wales that could be declared TB-free, what a boost that would be to the rest of Wales. So, I was very keen to bring the regionalisation approach into the TB eradication programme back in 2017, and will certainly be keeping it.

You mentioned spikes in disease over the previous years. The reason I mentioned north Wales is because this is my annual update, and I appreciate, for the Member, this is the first one you have been in the Chamber for, but every year I do commit to a statement. So, whilst I'm also looking at a refresh of the TB eradication programme, because we haven't had one for four years, it is, actually, my annual statement, so that was the reason why I focused on that.

I am aware you're having a technical briefing with the chief veterinary officer, and I'm sure she will certainly be able to provide you with far more detail than I can in the short amount of time I've got got around the Gower project, but it's certainly been very encouraging, and we have used badger vaccination. It's been one of the things that we have had as part of our toolkit since 2012; it's been part of our programme, and it was first deployed, as I said in my original statement, in the IAA, as part of that suite of measures. And we did see a drop in the incidence and prevalence rates in the IAA. And, fortunately, that position has been sustained. 

It is about having that suite of measures that I mentioned. And we have the testing regime, we have the vaccination regime, and I think it's really important to use that word 'partnership' again. And I'm really pleased—I met with the NFU last week, and they've got their own TB focus group now, and it was really encouraging to hear the progress they think they're making within that group. They've had the chief veterinary officer there to talk to them, they've met with Professor Glyn Hewinson to listen to his views, and it's great to have that ownership, and I think it's really important that we continue to work in partnership, because we can't do it on our own and they can't do it on their own; it's about working together. It's also about improved biosecurity, good husbandry, and, of course, we have Cymorth TB, which we fund, and that seeks to provide practical support to our farmers, to our herd keepers who are affected by TB. They provide bespoke veterinary interventions at different stages during the breakdown. I am going to ask the task and finish group that I've announced today to have a look at how we do engage with our farmers and our herd keepers to see what we can do to improve that engagement, to show that it is absolutely a partnership, and I very much recognise that. 

We also work very closely with other Welsh Government departments to offer business continuity advice to farmers and, importantly, their families, because it's not just the farmer, is it, who is impacted; it's the whole family that are suffering in a TB breakdown. And I really would strongly encourage farmers and their vets to take advantage of that bespoke Government-funded veterinary advice programme and for farmers to speak to their private vets about it too, and about how they can access it. And, again, the future of Cymorth TB and any other initiatives that we have will be included within the remit of the task and finish group, and I will ask them to look at that. 

Around your questions in relation to compensation, no, it's for Welsh Government to balance the books. It's my job to make sure I have that funding. I don't expect the farmers to have any part in that. It is absolutely our statutory duty. However, what I do expect is, if someone thinks—. So, the bar now is £5,000, so if you think you've got cattle that are worth more than that, then you should look at insurance. I think that's very important to do. 

The cattle vaccination, as I said in my answer to Sam, is, I think, within reach now—three, four years and I think we will have it. You mentioned there is a low number of farms, and I mentioned there were no Welsh farms, and I really would encourage Welsh farms to participate in the trial, because I want to be part of it. As I say, I work with DEFRA and I work with the Scottish Government, and there are many farms in England involved in the trial, but what I really want to see are some Welsh farms as part of those trials.