WRMI 2 - National Farmer's Union Wales

Dear Sarah,

Consultation - Proposed Red Meat Induatry LCO Committee

Following your telephone call and e-mail’s to Huw Thomas, NFU Cymru Assembly Adviser, I submit the following written evidence to the above committee in response to the questions posed in the consultation paper dated 22^nd October 2008.

As agreed with Huw, NFU Cymru is available to give Oral evidence to the Committee on the 11^th November and I await confirmation of further details in relation to this evidence session.

Introduction

NFU Cymru represents 15,000 members across Wales and we are pleased to be able to present evidence to the Red Meat Industry LCO Committee.  The vast majority of our farmer and grower members are themselves engaged in livestock production, and we are delighted that the first legislative competence order proposed in the Agriculture field of competence relates to the red meat industry.  

Wales has traditionally been a livestock producing area, and enjoys a reputation for producing some of the finest beef and lamb in the world, with Welsh beef and lamb both enjoying prestigious PGI status.  It is of paramount importance to Wales’ farmers that this excellent reputation continues to be defended and upheld. The red meat industry in Wales also contributes significantly to not just the Rural economy but to the economy of Wales in general. The Welsh Red Meat sector contributes to 43% of the total value of Welsh Agricultural Output worth around £361 million (in 2006).

Within Wales there is historical precedent for separate Welsh red meat promotion, and for some time Welsh arrangements have been separate and distinct from those in England and Scotland and Northern Ireland, this is in contrast to levy boards in other sectors such as Horticulture, Milk, Cereals and Oilseeds and Potatoes which continue to operate on a GB or UK level.   

1. What are your views on the general principe that legislative competence in the area identified in Matter 1.1 be conferred on the Assembly

NFU Cymru would support the extension of legislative competence for this issue to the National Assembly for Wales.   We believe that the Welsh Assembly Government has identified a genuine need to legislate in this area and that this falls within the the National Assembly’s 20 fields of competence.   NFU Cymru is therefore of the view that legislative competence in this area should be transferred to the National Assembly for Wales.

We would also add that the wording of the draft LCO closely resembles many of the relevant framework powers for Welsh Ministers contained in the NERC Act, and we therefore take the view that the Houses of Parliament have already consented once to the transfer of very similar powers to the National Assembly (now the Welsh Assembly Government Minsters) with the parliamentary

approval of the NERC Bill.   We can therefore see little justifiable reason for the Houses of Parliament to refuse to transfer what are essentially very similar powers to the Welsh Assembly Government some three years later.   

2.  What are your views on the terms of the proposed Order? For example is Matter 1.1 too narrowly or broadly drawn

NFU Cymru recognises that a balance needs to be struck between achieving clarity and practicality when bids for power are made.   We believe that when bids are made for power that they should allow the Welsh Assembly Government to genuinely exercise power, and also to ensure that small oversights in specifiying powers are overcome by the use of broad wording.  On the other hand we would not want sweeping or undefined legislative powers granted to the Welsh Assembly Government.  NFU Cymru is of the view that the proposed LCO strikes a sensible balance between allowing for the practical exercise of powers, whilst still being specific enough so as not to result in the unjustified transfer of powers.

Again, we would re-itterate that the powers contained in this LCO closely mirror the relevant provision of the NERC Act and that both Houses of Parliament were prepared to consent to the framework powers of the NERC Act being conferred upon the National Assembly for Wales (now Welsh Minsters).  

3.  Is it necessary to include interpretations of ‘the red meat industry’, ‘cattle’ and ‘pigs’ in the proposed Order?  If so, are the interpretations provided appropriate or should there be any additions or deletions?

NFU Cymru considers it reasonable that both cattle and pigs are defined in the proposed order, particularly as less conventional varieties and breeds are being increasingly being kept on Wales farms in order to supply niche markets, and we would not want them to fall outside of the scope of this order.

We believe that it is important that milk and milk products as well as fleece wool and hides are specifically excluded from the draft LCO as responsibility for these does rest with other bodies.   This is an important point of clarification which should remain in the LCO.

Explanatory Memorandum

NFU Cymru would also like to draw attention to Paragraph 12 of the Memorandum from the Minister for Rural Affairs and in particular the sentence The National Assembly, with these powers, would be able to confer promotional/development functions directly upon the Welsh Ministers or delegate functions to other bodies in this area. A significant proportion of the funding for this work is collected from Red Meat Producers via levies, it is therefore important that producers also feel that they have genuine accountability for how that money is spent. HCC whilst accountable to Ministers is also through being a limited company with a Board of Directors with strong industry representation seen as giving the necessary accountability to both industry and Ministers.

If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours Sincerely

Dylan Morgan

Deputy Director / Head of Policy

NFU Cymru