00:00And the question is to be asked by James Evans.
00:01Discussions is the Welsh Government having with the Animal, Plant and Health Agency
00:06to provide guidance to farmers and reduce the spread of Blue Tongue
00:09in light of the first cases being found in sheep in Wales?
00:13Deal, James.
00:14I have issued a statement today setting out the latest position in Wales
00:18and my advice to farmers.
00:20My officials are in daily contact with the Animal and Plant
00:23Health Agency and other partners to control Blue Tongue.
00:27Although the virus has been detected in some sheep bought into north Wales,
00:32we currently have no evidence of active infection here
00:35and my policy goal continues to be to keep Wales free of this new disease.
00:41Thank you for your answer, Cabinet Secretary.
00:42I also thank the Presiding Officer for accepting this very important topical question today.
00:46I did notice, as you say, after my topical question was accepted,
00:49that the Welsh Government released a written statement on the spread of Blue Tongue,
00:53which was great timing, I must say,
00:55but it was a shame that the Welsh Government couldn't bring forward an oral statement yesterday,
00:59because this is a very important issue for farmers across Wales,
01:02and it's a shame that we've had to come this way to get you to the Chamber.
01:06As outlined in your response, Cabinet Secretary, and indeed in your written statement,
01:09the spread of Blue Tongue is extremely concerning for our farming community
01:13and it is crucial that we deal with this head on.
01:16I welcome the actions that have already been taken,
01:18including the extensive sampling and the laboratory tests
01:22that have been carried out by APHA and the Peelbright Institute.
01:25Nevertheless, Cabinet Secretary, there have been cases of Blue Tongue
01:29in the south-east of England since August,
01:31and plans, of course, have been put in place in England by DEFRA and APHA,
01:35but, regrettably, this doesn't seem to be the case in Wales.
01:39In light of this, can you elaborate on what discussions you're having
01:42with your counterparts in DEFRA regarding the spread,
01:45and will you be putting any biosecurity measures,
01:47such as restricted zones and infected areas, that have occurred in England,
01:51because I think that's something we could see in north Wales.
01:54I wonder if you're willing to take that.
01:56Also, we're actually in the height of the stock-buying season at the minute
01:59on breeding stocks.
02:00I'm just interested in what advice you're going to be giving to farmers
02:03through Farming Connect or other agencies
02:06around the purchasing of stocks in those high-risk areas in England,
02:08because an awful lot of farmers in my constituency
02:11are heading off into England to buy their stock ready for next year.
02:15In addition to this, something I've heard from farmers
02:18is about the messaging from the Welsh Government,
02:21that they're getting lots of updates from the APHA about cases in England,
02:25but there's actually nothing coming through from the Welsh Government.
02:28So, I'm just interested, would you consider sending mobile alerts
02:31to farmers in Wales about cases that are emerging?
02:34Because I think that would be something that we do need to hear about.
02:38And also, finally, about the compensation regime for our farmers in Wales.
02:42Can you explain how that is going to work to make sure that our farmers in Wales
02:46are compensated properly for the stock that they lose to Blue Town?
02:49Thank you, Llywydd.
02:50James, thank you for those questions.
02:52And, Llywydd, just to clarify, we had, in discussion with the chief veterinary officer
02:58and officials from APHA, planned to bring forward a statement today,
03:01which we brought forward, the written statement,
03:04when we knew all the details of the current infection,
03:08infected animals that have been brought into Gwynedd, and not before,
03:13because we wanted to have a proper statement
03:15that we could give all the facts and details.
03:17So, I hope you'll understand that the timing of bringing forward the written statement
03:21was to bring it forward with the full information, rather than premature information.
03:26So, I was glad to bring that statement forward.
03:28You've raised a number of questions.
03:30First of all, it's not the case in any respect whatsoever
03:34that Welsh Government or APHA or the CBO are late to the game.
03:38In fact, a Great Britain Blue Town control strategy has been in place since August 2014,
03:44and it's been reviewed regularly.
03:46We have, in Welsh Government, and our officials and our CBO,
03:50have had intensive engagement with UK counterparts and disease experts
03:54in the UK and, indeed, across Europe,
03:57intensifying, in fact, since the BtB3 incursion into the Netherlands in September 2023,
04:03which brought it closer to us.
04:05So, the intensity of engagement stepped up.
04:08We've been raising awareness with the farming and the veterinary communities
04:11since the incursion to the Netherlands,
04:13and more intensively since the disease incursions into England last November and this August.
04:20CBO have established an industry stakeholder workshop.
04:23It meets regularly to discuss the risks
04:25and the Welsh Government response to an incursion or outbreak of Blue Tongue in Wales,
04:29making clear, once again, Llywydd, this is not a midge-borne outbreak in Wales.
04:34These are three animals that we've identified
04:37because of the efficacy of our tracking system here
04:40that have been brought into Wales at this moment.
04:42Not midge-borne.
04:45This group, the stakeholder group, is updated on the disease pictured in Europe and England
04:50and the increasing risk to Wales at every meet-in.
04:53And the decision to allow movements from restricted zones to slaughter
04:56only at designated abattoirs was taken in consultation with this group.
05:01We're in regular close contact with farming unions
05:04and organisations like the National Streep Association.
05:07They're very important partners with us on this group,
05:10and they cascade information on the risks to their members.
05:13We're very grateful for their co-operation
05:15and for their reach into the agricultural communities.
05:18We've also run, through Ofco, Llywydd, webinars for vets in practice
05:22to raise awareness, to share details of the clinical signs
05:25so that vets can discuss the disease with their clients.
05:28And we do encourage keepers to seek veterinary advice
05:32before sourcing animals from high-risk areas
05:34so they can make an informed assessment.
05:37But crucially, Llywydd, currently we have no evidence
05:41of active blue-tongue infection in Wales.
05:44In recent days, what we have is a small number of sheep
05:48brought into Wales from the east of England.
05:51This does not constitute an outbreak or midge-borne infection in Wales,
05:55and we have to reinforce that message.
05:57But we are asking people to be very vigilant.
06:01You mentioned, I think, the issue of compensation.
06:05The three animals that have been killed,
06:07compensation has been paid to the farmer affected.
06:11Farmers will receive compensation if blue-tongue is diagnosed
06:15and the CVO or the DCVO orders the killing of affected animals,
06:20and that's in line with our normal protocol.
06:24I hope that helps to answer some of your questions.
06:28I can go into more detail, of course,
06:30but I'm conscious of the time as well.
06:33Llyr Gruffydd.
06:34Diolch, Llyr Brif Weinidog.
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