Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

Plaid AMs anger and disappointment at Labour’s TB eradication programme U-Turn

Rural Wales and Welsh farming communities have been let down by the Labour government’s decision to put the TB eradication programme on hold.  That was the message today from Plaid Cymru rural affairs spokesperson, Llyr Huws Gruffydd, and Local Assembly Member Rhodri Glyn Thomas who said that the government’s decision to delay the programme would cause huge uncertainty and anger for farmers and would impact greatly on the public purse. 

The Plaid Cymru AMs accused the government of carrying out unnecessary work that had already been carried out by the previous government.  The AMs highlighted the fact that all the current cabinet members had supported the eradication programme when it was last debated and questioned why their view on this had changed when no new evidence had come to light. 

Mr Gruffydd said that the last Welsh government had grasped the nettle on this issue, and expressed disappointment that the new Labour government had bowed to pressure threatening efforts to eradicate the disease. 

Plaid Cymru rural affairs spokesperson and former Mayor of Carmarthen, Llyr Huws Gruffydd, said:

“Welsh farmers, their families and communities will greet this announcement today with sadness, anger and despair.  Bovine TB has a harrowing emotional and financial impact on farmers and their families.   And the disease also has far reaching, vast consequences for the public purse, its legacy has already cost Welsh taxpayers in excess of £120m – a totally unsustainable drain on the public purse. 

“The Labour government has shown a considerable lack of backbone by kicking this issue into the long grass.  No new evidence has come to light and therefore I can see no genuine reason for Carwyn Jones and his cabinet to have changed their mind.  The last government’s Rural Affairs Minister took an open-minded approach to finding out what would work to reduce and eventually eradicate Bovine TB and put a comprehensive package in place.  The current First Minister, Environment Minister and Deputy Minister for Agriculture all played their parts in this.  

“It was precisely because of the inaction of previous Labour only governments that this disease took hold and spiralled out of control.  This week’s announcement heralds a return to those bad old days of dithering, of indecision and of the lack of stomach to see a challenging proposition through.”

Assembly Member for Carmarthen East & Dinefwr and former Chair of the Assembly’s Rural Development Sub-Committee, Rhodri Glyn Thomas added:

“The decision by this Labour government will be a kick in the teeth to the farming community that I represent, and demonstrates beyond any doubt that Labour has once again retreated to its comfort zone of being Cardiff-centric.

“The Government must now also announce its position on other crucial policies put in place by the former Plaid Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, to assist the rural communities.  Will we see the Labour party following the Conservatives and Lib Dems in London by wanting to get rid of the Single Farm Payments which so many of our farmers are reliant upon?  Will the Labour party be supporting full cost recovery of Meat Hygiene Inspections?  What u-turn will we see next from this Labour government?

“The First Minister and the new Minister for Environment both supported the eradication programme in the last government.  Given that no new evidence has come to light since the vote took place only three months ago, it is clear the decision to halt the programme is nothing short of political opportunism.

“It is abundantly clear that only Plaid Cymru is interested in delivering for the whole of Wales.”

ENDS

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