Written Statement (Wales): 18 November 2024 Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Dec 2

Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: In accordance with the inter-institutional relations agreement, I can report to Members I attended the latest meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 16 September 2024.

The meeting was chaired by Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity. The meeting was also attended by Mairi Gougeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Andrew Muir MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, and Daniel Zeichner MP, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs.

The Group discussed the UK Budget and funding allocations. I reiterated the importance of supporting our agriculture sector to deliver sustainable food production as well as our climate and nature ambitions. In relation to the changes made to Inheritance Tax and Agricultural Property Relief, I urged UK Government to directly engage with Welsh farming unions and take into consideration their data and concerns. 

With the addition of an item on TB, we agreed the joint work programme for enhanced collaboration for the upcoming year. This programme had been developed jointly by the four nations. 

The Group discussed the importance of collaboration and the sharing of information on any UK discussions with the EU regarding a possible Sanitary/Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. I made the point that we need clarity on the implementation of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) and Windsor Framework in light of the proposed SPS agreement. I also welcomed the forthcoming meeting with Baroness Hayman to discuss a number of outstanding issues on border controls.

We then discussed labour shortages in the environment, food, and rural affairs sectors, the Groceries Code Adjudicator, neonicotinoid pesticides, sale of horticultural peat and progress on applications for UK geographical indications.

A communique regarding this meeting will be published on the UK Government website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/communique-from-the-inter-ministerial-group-for-environment-food-and-rural-affairs.