The next item will be a statement by the Minister for rural affairs on the refreshed TB eradication programme. I call on the Minister to make the statement—Lesley Griffiths. 

Diolch, Llywydd. I last provided Senedd Members with an update on the TB eradication programme in July 2022, setting out our direction of travel and progress after consulting on an enhanced approach in late 2021. I outlined my intent to commence action in several areas prior to launching a refreshed TB delivery plan, including new governance arrangements for the programme and preliminary work on a project to address endemic infection in Pembrokeshire. I committed to engaging with stakeholders on TB payments and informed purchasing, both of which attracted significant interest in the consultation. Further work is still required to get this right for both Government and industry. I'm also committed to working with the veterinary delivery partners to trial the use of lay TB testers in Wales, in efforts to increase veterinary capacity. This pilot began in October and is ongoing, and a full evaluation will take place to inform next steps.

The picture of bovine TB in Wales is ever changing, but the important long-term trends show good progress. Between 2009 and December 2022, new TB incidents fell by 49 per cent in Welsh herds while prevalence decreased by 32 per cent. Regionally, there is variation, mainly due to pockets of disease where we are developing or have already taken forward enhanced measures, for example a more rigorous contiguous testing regime for herds neighbouring a TB breakdown.

Today I am launching a refreshed delivery plan that sets out our approach to TB eradication over the next five years. The plan builds on the comprehensive armoury of measures under way and sets our course to make further progress towards a TB-free Wales by 2041. The theme at the heart of this refreshed delivery plan is partnership working. I've always said Government cannot eradicate TB alone. We need the support, engagement and ownership of the farming industry and veterinary profession. We must all play our part. This is borne out in the findings of the task and finish group on farmer engagement, which suggests a greater level of partnership working, through co-design and co-delivery, can build trust, dispel inaccurate information and empower keepers to take control of their TB situation and protect their business.

We will explore the benefits of this approach through a project in Pembrokeshire, where TB presents an ongoing challenge. The project will focus on identifying residual disease risk in clear testing cattle and mitigating cattle-to-cattle transmission risk. This will be achieved by enhancing collaborative working relationships at a local level, empowering vets and farmers to make informed decisions and show leadership in disease control. This will inform our approach to communication and engagement, including the disease report form, Cymorth TB and action plans in chronic breakdowns. In the medium term, we will explore the remaining recommendations of the task and finish group, taking account of practicality and cost of delivery.

We are making progress with establishing new governance arrangements for our programme. Adverts for the publicly appointed programme board and technical advisory group will be published by the summer. The technical advisory group will provide expertise on several key policy areas, which will also include review of the management of in-calf TB-affected cattle. We are building on our approach to addressing TB hotspot clusters, with severe interpretation of contiguous and post-breakdown tests in affected areas in the low and intermediate TB area north from April.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency epidemiology team continuously monitors disease levels and trends to identify areas of concern and potential new and emerging disease clusters and inform necessary action. One such emerging area of concern is Anglesey, where annual incidence reached an eight-year high in 2021. To prevent TB becoming established, several actions are being introduced and others are being considered. Firstly, I intend to bring forward legislation to reintroduce pre-movement testing for cattle movements within and from the low TB area. Most respondents to our consultation were in favour of this approach, and it will have the added benefit of protecting Wales as a whole.

No TB-positive badgers have been identified in Anglesey through the 'badger found dead' survey between 2014 and 2022. Although this is encouraging, we need to prevent TB spreading to the badger population. Therefore, a badger activity and farm biosecurity survey has been undertaken on Holy island, where most of the badgers submitted for examination were found. Subject to the outcomes of this work, our intention is to vaccinate badgers on Holy island before considering the approach across all of Anglesey. Keepers in Anglesey also received a letter earlier this month providing further information on action they can take to protect their herd from TB, including responsibly purchasing cattle and raising the standards of biosecurity on farm.

In addition to reintroducing pre-movement testing, I am also intending to make other legislative changes to further strengthen our approach in Wales, for example extending the requirement for post-movement testing in the intermediate TB areas and enabling the display of TB-free herd information on ibTB to support farmers to buy responsibly. These changes were again looked upon favourably by respondents to our consultation. These, along with further changes, will be explored through amending the Tuberculosis (Wales) Order 2010. Updates will be provided in due course.

Engagement on TB payments and informed purchasing will begin over the coming months to explore policy options with stakeholders and agree a way forward, making the necessary links with the sustainable farming scheme. Further legislative changes will be required to bring in new policies in these areas. We will also continue to work with both the UK and Scottish Governments on the development of a cattle vaccine, and the second phase of trials has now commenced. Cattle vaccination will be a powerful tool in our battle against this disease, and we will consider specific deployment options for Wales once a licensed product is available.

I will provide an annual progress update on the TB eradication programme and report against commitments in our delivery plan. I now call upon the farming industry and veterinary profession to unite with the Welsh Government and delivery partners to make further strides towards our shared mission, a TB-free Wales. Diolch.

Can I thank the Minister for advance sight of this afternoon's statement? I also refer Members to my register of interests. 

Firstly, I would like to begin by paying tribute to every farmer across Wales. Despite the physical, mental and economic burden that this disease inflicts, our farmers remain committed to the job in hand. The data that the Minister has described this afternoon is largely to be welcomed. For the first time in a long time, new herd incidents, slaughter rates and other data sets are beginning to show the start of a positive trend. However, despite nationwide decreases, there still remain a number of communities where the disease continues to be both persistent and prevalent. In areas such as Gwent, Gwynedd and mid Powys, new herd incidents are continuing to rise. In South Glamorgan, Pembrokeshire and south Powys, slaughter rates continue to increase year on year, and high herd recurrence rates consistently lead to repeated breakdowns in our communities. 

Despite the headline statistics, we still have a long, long way to go. But behind every statistic is a farmer, their family and a community under the immense pressure and anxiety that TB restrictions bring. That's why we cannot get complacent. I broadly welcome the Wales TB eradication programme delivery plan, March 2023 to March 2028, which accompanies today's statement. I'd also like to welcome the appointment of Dr Richard Irvine as Wales's new chief veterinary officer. As you emphasise in your statement, Minister, a UK-wide approach is pivotal to our success, and I'm hopeful that Dr Irvine's previous experience as the UK's deputy CVO and policy deputy director for global animal health at DEFRA will ensure that this is the case. 

In a recent Environment, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee session you stated that the delay in the publication of a refreshed TB strategy was, in part, to allow the new CVO to feed into this programme. I would certainly be interested in understanding what conversations you've had about improving TB policy in Wales with Dr Irvine, and what lessons can be learned from elsewhere to ensure that Wales's TB eradication policy is as effective as possible.

There are a number of points within the refreshed TB eradication programme delivery plan, namely the theme of partnership working and collaboration between industry and government, which are to be welcomed. As page 16 of the plan notes, improved communication is critical to successful delivery. The Welsh Government acknowledging this is positive, but please can we bring in mental health charities such as Tir Dewi or the DPJ Foundation to offer assistance on how letters from the Welsh Government or APHA are drafted, and the language used, to minimise any negative emotional effect?

I would also like to welcome the acceptance of the benefits of lay TB testers or approved tuberculin testers. This is certainly a policy that needs to be adopted on both a national and permanent basis, and I look forward to hearing your consideration of this matter. You mention as well the increased level of pre-movement testing, but I would urge caution on the reliability of the skinfold caliper test, and indeed the interpretation level of that test. I'd like to hear more from the Minister on that testing regime. 

Moving forward, I do wish to briefly touch upon the prospect of a cattle vaccine. Despite what feels like it being ten years away for the last 30 years, we are making significant strides in the right direction. Field trials have been rolled out across England, yet, Welsh involvement still remains, unfortunately, non-existent. In a recent written question, you noted that phase 1 and phase 2 cattle BCG trials have seen zero Welsh farms opt into the programme. Given this, what conversations have you had with DEFRA about ensuring that Wales can play a critical role in researching and deploying trial vaccines in our rural communities?

Minister, whilst on the subject of Welsh farm involvement, I do wish to touch upon the Pembrokeshire TB pilot. I note that this is mentioned in the delivery plan. However, my understanding is that it still remains stalled as a consequence of procurement rules. So, given the urgency of this project, any update on this matter would be gratefully and appreciatively received.

A final point, Minister, if I may, is the slaughter of in-calf cows and heifers. Today's statement showed, maybe, a little light in allowing a bit more flexibility in this policy, giving farmers a choice. Please, can we keep pressure on this point, as I know a small change here would be huge for the industry and its well-being?

To reiterate, Minister, we will only be successful in removing this disease from our herds by collaborating and working as one. Taking ownership, and recognising that we all have a part to play, is critical to our success. For too long, our industry had been left with little hope of ever seeing TB eradicated in Wales. We need the Government to work with the industry to give the industry that all-important hope, and all of us to work together. Diolch.

Thank you very much, Sam Kurtz, for your welcoming of the statement and the delivery plan, and, also, for your words of support, and I'm grateful for the work you did in Pembrokeshire on our behalf. Just to reassure Sam Kurtz and every other Member, and, indeed, every farmer in Wales, I would never be complacent. While you're quite right that the long-term disease statistics do show progress, which, of course, is to be welcomed, we still do, obviously, have a long way to go. I've always collaborated; since I've been in this portfolio, it has always been an area that I've worked towards improving, because, as I said, the Government cannot do this on its own. 

I welcome the appointment of Dr Richard Irvine, who's joined us in the public gallery today. As you say, he comes with a great deal of experience in the field of TB eradication, so I did think it was very important, while he's only been with us for a couple of weeks—we've had, obviously, meetings and a couple of conversations around it, and he's had significant input into the statement today. But, clearly, this is a piece of work that we'll be taking forward as we look at the delivery plan. Next time I update Members, I'm sure that there will be far more input from Richard, going forward.

It is really important that we learn lessons from elsewhere, and, as you say, Dr Irvine worked in DEFRA before. But, it's a very small field of CVOs—just the four of them—and they worked very closely together, so I know that we've already learnt lessons from DEFRA and working very closely together.

You talk about improved communication, and this was an area that clearly needed to be looked at significantly. In my oral statement, I referred to a letter that had gone out to farmers in Anglesey, and I think you can see from that, if you've been able to see one of those—it's much more simple than, perhaps, previously. But, just to reassure everyone, I meet with the mental health charities in Wales and they will have had an input into this, because whenever I meet them, and I meet them regularly, clearly a farm that is having TB testing has significant concerns. I do not underestimate how distressing and stressful it is for a farmer as they approach that time.

Certainly, lay testers is an area that I really want to improve, because we know that we're struggling with the capacity of vets for a variety of reasons, which are very well rehearsed. So, I think the more we can do in relation to that the better. 

Cattle vaccination—as I said in my opening statement, we're now in phase 2. I think it's incredibly disappointing that we haven't been able to have any farms in Wales participating. We are relying on English farms, and I think that is very disappointing. I've asked my officials to do some considerable engagement between phase 1 and phase 2 with our farmers to try to secure some farms here in Wales to be part of the trial, because I do think it would be beneficial. I understand that we do now have a number of possible candidates who have been shortlisted for participation who may be able to do this.

You referred to the Pembrokeshire project, and you're quite right, because of procurement issues, we haven't been able to get on with this as quickly as I certainly would have wanted to, and probably everybody else as well. Unfortunately, there are procurement rules that we have to abide by, and I know that you will appreciate that. We've got to follow that due process before we are able to take a project forward. We've got to have that open and fair competition.

Around on-farm slaughter, we have to look at this again. Back in 2019, I think it was, we piloted on-farm euthanasia for heavily pregnant cattle and, unfortunately, the uptake was quite low. There were quite difficult logistical difficulties in removing TB-affected animals within the 10 working days, and the pilot was ceased. So, I will have discussions with Dr Irvine to see if there's anything that we can do there. If you've got a TB breakdown, as I say, it's very distressing; it's devastating. If we want to avoid as much distress as possible, this is certainly an area we need to continue to work with. As I say, we did a significant piece of work with the industry probably four or five years ago, but it is something that I have asked Dr Irvine to look at again, because, clearly, it's something that is very distressing. I've received correspondence from farmers, so I think we do need to have a look at that again.

I thank the Minister for this statement today and the plan that's been submitted. I'm particularly pleased to see the collaborative element that's part of the statement, which is so important if we're going to tackle this challenge of eradicating TB. But I stand before you today to discuss the refreshed TB eradication programme with a heavy heart, because I'm painfully aware of dear friends who are going through a terrible mental ordeal today, because they have been told that there is TB either in their herd or on a nearby farm. In the face of this, they feel completely helpless, and fear the worst. 

The mental anguish is dreadful, leading some to consider the extreme act of taking their own lives. Families, friends, and communities are suffering as well because of this. This is the level of pain that our farmers have to endure when facing this terrible disease. The president of NFU Wales, Aled Jones, emphasised this message recently, imploring the Government to use all the levers at its disposal to eradicate this disease. So, this statement is to be welcomed today. 

But the official letters that are sent out are written in a cold and threatening manner, which has a detrimental impact on the mental health of the families who receive them. Therefore, I do warmly welcome recommendation 3 of the plan, which is about improving communication. But could we have an assurance from the Minister that the tone of the new letters will be more empathetic, and that any communication will consider the impact on the mental health of those families?

While we have seen the number of cases decrease in some areas, it is a huge concern to see infections spreading from the north-east to the north-west, and more clearly in areas of Wales that are traditionally considered as low risk, and continuing to be stubborn in parts of the south-west. What is the Government's assessment of the reason for this?  

Overstocking and intensive farming do contribute to the intensity of infections, as with any other virus, such as COVID, bTB is spread in intensive environments. One approach is to improve biosecurity measures on farms. This includes improving ventilation in barns and sheds, and ensuring that feed and water sources are kept clean and free of contamination. How much funding is being invested by the Government in these measures at present, and what increase in funding will come as a result of the introduction of this programme today? 

But when there is an infection in an area, the undeniable fact is that it is spread by badgers, as well as from cattle to cattle. Therefore, it's foolish to disregard the culling of badgers in areas where infection is present. Badger culling therefore has to be part of the solution. However one looks at the issue, animals are going to have to be culled, whether they be dozens of badgers or cattle in their hundreds. The plan says that the Government's intention is to invest in a vaccine at the expense of culling, but no timetable is provided for the development of a vaccine.

Following an announcement by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, field trials for a cattle vaccine and a new skin test for bovine tuberculosis have moved on to the next stage, following an announcement by the APHA. If the second phase is successful, we will be closer to being able to vaccinate cattle against this endemic disease. But we haven't seen any major actions to bring us closer to this area recently, so, until we see the vaccine, and in view of the scientific evidence that culling is an important tool in areas where infection exists, will the Minister allow a controlled culling programme in those areas? We need to work on a much larger scale and at a quicker speed than what's happening at the moment if we are seriously going to tackle infection. So, will the Minister tell us what the timetable is for the vaccine so that we can be assured that the Government and others are taking this seriously?

Finally, I do welcome the project in Pembrokeshire, but I'm concerned that it is very restricted. Farmers respect the knowledge of the local farrier, and the project will help to develop that relationship between the farrier and the farmer. So, what plans does the Government have to ensure that vets across Wales are supported in order to have the latest information out to farms as soon as possible? Thank you very much.

Diolch, Mabon, for those questions and points. I absolutely understand your opening remarks around the distress and stress caused, and I think you've just explained very clearly why we really all need to work together to ensure that we do realise our ambitions of having a TB-free Wales; at the very latest, 2041, but obviously, the earlier we can do it, the better it will be for us all.

I think the points you make around the letters being more empathetic is really important, because if you're stressed anyway and you receive a letter that you deem to be threatening or very unsympathetic, then that is only going to add to this distress. And at the workshop that we held last year at the Royal Welsh Show, I think that was one of the things that really came out, and I know we have been looking at that. As I said in my answer to Sam Kurtz, if you look at the letter that went to farmers in Anglesey, I think you can see an improvement there. But of course, we can always continue to improve, and you do have my commitment to looking at that. I think, by accepting the recommendations of the task and finish group on farmer engagement, what I wanted to do was really signal that Welsh Government is very committed to improving both face-to-face engagement, but also in correspondence in the way that you referred to, because I think that is the way to build up more trust, going forward, and to try and find that common ground, really.

As you said, unfortunately, we have seen a deteriorating situation on Anglesey after I identified that, and you will have heard me say in my initial statement that we had this survey undertaken on Holy Island to try and assess the levels of badger activity there. And then, we'll have a look at the findings from that and see what the next steps are. This is why informed purchasing is so important, and as you'll be aware from previous statements I've made, we gave significant funding to our markets to make sure that people did have that information that they needed to make those informed purchases. Biosecurity is very, very important as well, obviously.

You ask about badger culling, and it gives me the opportunity to say again that I have consistently ruled out an English-style widescale cull, and that now forms part of our programme for government—that commitment to not doing that. So, there will be no culling going forward, and badger vaccination has been part of our programme for many years, it predates me; I think it’s about 10 years now—sorry, the cattle vaccination. And when I spoke to academics last summer around the—. I think you referred, Sam Kurtz, to 10 years; it’s always been 10 years, 10 years, but I was told that, actually, this time, we definitely would have it within 10 years, and I hope it will be much sooner than that. That's why I was very disappointed that we didn't have any take-up of Welsh farmers to participate in the trial, because I think we can't just look to England to be doing this; we need to show that we're very keen to do it also.

You mentioned Pembrokeshire and the difficulties there. I do think it is important that our vets are very aware of everything, and again Dr Irvine will be continuing to work with our vets to make sure everybody has the information and the tools they need. And Pembrokeshire is something that we can look at as we procure the project. It's really important that we get it right. So, again, if there's anything that anyone thinks we need to look at, because we are tackling some really deep-seated levels of infection in parts of Pembrokeshire—everywhere else seemed to have an improving backdrop, but in Pembrokeshire it just seemed not to be improving, and in fact it was getting worse in many areas. So, that project to collaborate with industry, with our vets and with ourselves, is really important going forward. I do hope that we are able to learn from the project when it is up and running, and encourage other areas to look at what we're doing in Pembrokeshire and to have that similar engagement in other parts of Wales.

Minister, thank you for this update today on the TB eradication programme. As you will know, Minister, north Wales is such an important region for the agricultural industry and for farming families, who play such an important role, both in our local economy but more broadly in ensuring our language and culture are enhanced and prosper really well in north Wales. That's why it's so important that, as Welsh Government, you're able to create the right conditions for our farming businesses to thrive.

When I speak to farmers in my region, TB eradication is often the main point of conversation, as I'm sure, with you, Minister, it's very similar. Sadly, currently, they often feel they are unable to take all of the steps necessary to protect their livestock and their businesses from the spread of TB, and they are expected to live with the anxiety of having entire herds wiped out by this disease, and that's why I certainly support the comments made by the Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd on the anxiety and the stress that many of our farmers experience.

So, in light of this, Minister, which part of the programme do you think gives farmers in north Wales the most reassurance that they may need to feel confident that the programme itself will protect their livestock, their family businesses and their communities?

Thank you. Well, I would hope that the whole of the programme will. I think it's really important. You can't just take one piece of the jigsaw, and it is indeed a jigsaw, and I go back to what I was saying about everyone having their part to play. So, obviously, we bring the policy forward. It's really important that the farmer looks at informed purchasing. It's really important that the farmer looks at their biosecurity; if they have any concerns, they speak to their own vet in the first instance, and then obviously we can also assist with that. I think that enhanced surveillance that we've had in north Wales, and I suppose I'm referring to north-east Wales in particular, but obviously now it's going over to north-west Wales, has been very good. It's been able to detect infection much more quickly, and it has slowed down the rate of new TB incidents over the long term. And that's what we want to do. We want to drive down the disease before it becomes established in high-TB areas. So, that's what we've been doing, and I hope that will continue to reassure north Walian farmers.

I thank the Minister.