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CONSULTATION ON THE ASSEMBLY'S POWERS
& ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS
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NFU Cymru is the leading democratic organisation
for farmers and growers in Wales representing the interests
of some 15,000 agricultural businesses. Our central
objective is to promote the interests of those farming
businesses producing high quality food, drink and non-food
products for customers and markets both at home and
abroad. NFU Cymru welcomes the opportunity to submit
views and has a particular interest in the consultation
because agriculture is one of the areas of National
Assembly responsibility. NFU Cymru has representation
in the National Assembly for Wales, Westminster as well
as Brussels so has an excellent understanding of the
overall political and government system.
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| The Assembly has, during its first term,
set about establishing itself by exercising and testing
its powers, both through a Labour led government, and
the current Labour/ Liberal Democrat coalition. |
| NFU Cymru has no objection in principle
to the Assembly gaining more powers (with reciprocal resources
to undertake the function), but would ask that the Assembly
justify why they need more powers, and how they would
implement those powers to bring benefits to the people
of Wales. |
| During the last four years, agriculture
has derived both the benefits and negative aspects of
devolution. |
| Benefits could include the principle of
Tir Gofal, a Wales only scheme or that Ministers have
been more accessible than their English counterparts in
Parliament and that there has been a general transparency
of function through the efforts of the Assembly in creating
a more open government. |
| The negative effect of a lack of powers
has never been as prominent as felt by the Welsh agricultural
industry during the foot and mouth crisis of 2001. |
| The function of controlling animal health
has not been fully devolved to the Assembly. Bovine TB
is thus far the only disease for which the Assembly is
responsible. During the foot and mouth crisis, the Assembly’s
role was to act as the agents for MAFF (now DEFRA). |
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Whilst the Assembly sought to input and
influence the central decision making process, it does
not have the prerogative to alter the decisions of Government,
neither could it shape the eradication policy to reflect
the particular needs of the livestock industry in Wales.
On occasions where it sought flexible interpretation,
it was over-ridden by DEFRA.
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| NFU Cymru advocated in our response to
the Assembly’s "Lessons to be learned" inquiry that,
" there is a need for an early and detailed review
of the powers of the Assembly in disease control terms." |
| Whilst we recognise that animal disease
respects no political boundary, NFU Cymru remains convinced
that had the National Assembly for Wales had greater discretion
to tailor the eradication and containment strategy to
meet the particular needs of farmers in Wales, more appropriate
solutions would have been found. There is evidence that
the Scottish Executive were able to exercise some policies
differently. |
| Any further devolution of powers in this
or any other sector will inevitably lead to a requirement
for more personnel and more resources. What we do not
wish to see is an increase in bureaucracy. Any additional
funding must come from central Government. |
| NFU Cymru is happy to discuss these matters
further in an oral evidence session should the Commission
feel this is appropriate. |
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February 2003
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