4. What is the Welsh Government doing to strengthen food security in Wales? OQ59061

The food system operates on a UK-wide basis. The Welsh Government therefore works with the UK Government and devolved administrations to identify risks and engages with stakeholders to manage them. In Wales, we promote food security through investment in the food manufacturing industry, supporting agriculture, and providing significant support to a wide variety of community projects.

Thank you, Trefnydd. You won't be surprised to know that I am focusing on our food and vegetable supplies. I'm acutely aware that only twice in the last three months have I been able to obtain the boxes of fruit and vegetables that I want to give to our local food bank. That reflects the lack of affordable food that is reaching the wholesale market, on which all the independent retailers, corner shops, convenience stores and a lot of the hospitality sector rely on. I appreciate that the supermarkets have their own networks. Next to none of the food coming into the wholesale market is grown in Wales. Now, I fully appreciate the work that you, Minister, have done as the Minister for rural affairs to try and expand the horticulture sector in Wales, but it really isn't enough. And given the significant loss of public money to the foundational economy, and the major implications it has for our ambitious universal free school meals programme, with a third of a child's meal needing to be vegetables and fruit to enable them to grow and learn, in light of these budgetary and policy implications for all your Ministers on the front benches, with the exception of the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution, how does the Government plan to address this strategically significant issue?

Thank you. As I said, food supply is really wholly integrated across the UK. We've got very diverse international supply chains as well for both imports and exports. I don't think there is a general shortage of fruit and vegetables. They're widely available. So, I don't think there is a risk to either the free school meals policy or public health. We are trying to tackle this issue. You mentioned the work I've been doing in relation to horticulture. I'm told that horticulture is an area where we want to really see an expansion of the agricultural sector, and I'm using rural development programme funding, for instance, to have new windows for people to apply for funding in relation to doing more around horticulture and growing fruit and vegetables. 

We do need to continue to engage in discussions with UK Government and other devolved Governments, as I say, around the agri-food supply chain. And I do it as a Minister—officials certainly do it, but I do it as a Minister. I meet with a range of partners—farmers, processors, manufacturers, retailers—to get the information that we need. We keep that under constant review to make sure there is no shortage of fruit and veg. 

The Minister has previously touched upon her community food strategy, a matter that we've discussed in committee. Now, we're still waiting for the strategy's development, and, as it stands, it has no real depth or foundation. I note that Jenny Rathbone's commendable desires align perfectly with Peter Fox's Food (Wales) Bill, which is currently making its way through the legislative process. As Peter has previously highlighted in the Chamber and at committee, it creates the perfect environment for which Jenny Rathbone's vision for food security can become reality. Minister, you've stated that the funding for your community food strategy has been ring-fenced, yet its implementation is delayed. So, given this, when can we expect this strategy to be presented? Diolch. 

Well, the community food strategy is a manifesto commitment on which I stood. We're bringing forward the community food strategy as part of the co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru, and, obviously, we have five years to bring that strategy forward and it will be brought forward in this term of the Senedd. You mentioned Peter Fox's food Bill. I have to say that food Bill is taking up probably all of my resources at an official level that could be working on the community food strategy. I disagree with you about Peter Fox's Bill being the perfect environment, and Peter and I have had discussions. I gave evidence to committee last week on it, and I know we've both got some more scrutiny sessions coming up. I think a lot of what Peter Fox is bringing forward in his food Bill can already be delivered with current policies and legislation that we have at the current time. I'm very worried, for instance, about the commission that Peter Fox is proposing in his Bill. I think it will cost a significant amount of money and will also go across the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. I think what Peter has done is try to put the Scottish model, if you like, and their food Bill into—which, if you say it's round, here in Wales our framework is square and it's very difficult not to cut across the well-being of future generations Act.

It's crucial for food security that we promote and protect production of food, but also the processing of food. And I'm very grateful to the Minister, in her role as Minister for rural affairs and food, along with the Minister for Economy, for agreeing to meet with me later today to discuss the urgent actions required in light of the announcement of the consultation on the closure of the 2 Sisters Food Group plant in Llangefni. We need urgent steps. I am clear that steps need to be taken by the UK Government too, and it's frightening to see, from Westminster today, that the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury didn't even know that there were 700 jobs under threat in Llangefni, which shows that Anglesey has been ignored there over the last week. But does the Minister agree with me that we need to ensure all means possible of bringing investment now into food production in Anglesey, to help existing businesses to grow, and also the kind of investment that I've been pushing for, for a food production park, in order to ensure that this sector gets the boost that it needs? This is a strength of ours that we can build on in Anglesey.

Yes, in relation to the last part of your question, I absolutely agree, and I think we've had some very productive discussions around that to see what we can do. Certainly, the announcement on the closure—or the proposed closure—of the 2 Sisters poultry plant in Llangefni was devastating, and is devastating for your constituency. It was completely unexpected. We had no prior knowledge of it. I don't think there had been any attempt to contact Welsh Government at all before the announcement was made, which I think was very disappointing, particularly following the support we'd given them and the work we'd done with them, particularly during the COVID pandemic. So, it did catch us completely unawares; we had absolutely no idea. I know the Minister for Economy and I, we met, and then we had a meeting with the leader of Ynys Môn council; I think there's another one planned. Because I think it is right that we all need to work together, and we certainly need the UK Government to sit up and take notice of this. But we'll be very happy, obviously, to follow up further discussions with you later this afternoon.

Jane Dodds.

Diolch, Llywydd. And I understand that, with your permission, as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, and joining with the two other leaders, of Plaid Cymru and of the Conservatives, we would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the First Minister and his family. Losing someone so close is so hard, and our love and prayers are with him. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Turning to the issue of food security, another aspect is around supporting our farmers to produce food. Some of us were lucky enough to be, last night, with National Farmers Union Cymru, and I know many of us have enjoyed and endured the wonderful Farmers Union of Wales breakfasts that were last week as well. Some of those maybe more than once, and perhaps more than was good for us, shall we say, but, nevertheless, it was focusing on Welsh food. And I know, with the agriculture Bill coming up, I would just like to ask you, if I may, in your role as well: what measures are you taking to look at domestic food production in terms of securing that and enhancing that? Because farmers are producers of food first and foremost. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Yes, absolutely. If you ask anybody, 'What do farmers do?', that's the first thing they will say, 'They produce our food.' And Jane Dodds will know at the heart of the Bill lies the objective to ensure the sustainability of our farms and recognises the complementary objectives of supporting farmers in the sustainable production of food, and that's alongside the response to the climate and nature emergencies. The sole purpose of the agriculture Bill and, obviously, the sustainable farming scheme, which are being produced side by side, is to ensure that our farmers remain on the land and that that land is there for future generations.