Source · Select Committees · Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 24
We welcome the inclusion of a member of the new Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC)...
Recommendation
We welcome the inclusion of a member of the new Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) who has experience of the agricultural landscape in Wales, along with moves to recruit new agri-food attachés, and the establishment of a new Food and Drink Export Council. However, to be successful, the Welsh Government and farming communities need to be fully engaged in the work of the new TAC and Export Council, as well as the work of the attachés. The UK Government should collaborate on the terms of reference for the Export Council with the devolved governments and farming organisations, and commit to having at least one council member with expertise and experience of the agri-food sector in Wales. We also call for a proportionate number of the new agri-food attachés to have expertise and knowledge and understanding of the distinctive characteristics of the food and drink sector in Wales, food production in Wales and the impact of decisions upon these areas.
Government response summary AI-generated
DIT publishes scoping and impact assessments at the launch and conclusion of new FTA negotiations which provide analysis of the potential impacts on the nations and regions of the UK, including Wales, alongside impacts on sectors, including agriculture.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
24
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
We are establishing a new Food and Drink Export Council which will bring together UK Government (UKG), the Devolved Administrations and industry partners, collaborating to harness collective capability, expertise, and resources to turbo boost exports. UKG will work in partnership with the devolved administrations and industry to develop an Export Council and agree its remit and membership. A new Council reflects UKG’s strategy to promote exports from all parts of the UK, to help level up the country. The Council will be a genuine partnership and recognise and respect the unique and different approaches to supporting exports that have evolved in the different parts of the UK. The Council will strengthen partnership working between government and industry and harness all the resource available to ensure an ambitious approach to trade, including opportunities offered by new FTAs. It will bring together agri-food experts to share knowledge, good practice, market intelligence and capacity and thereby help to enhance the UK’s global reputation for quality and standards. We look forward to working with the Devolved Administrations and business to determine how that might best work. To provide further support, new DIT teams were recently established in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. These are complemented by a second major DIT site in Darlington and DEFRA’s regional network. The TAC’s role is specific and focused: it looks at the signed text of an FTA and provides independent analysis on whether the measures relating to trade in agricultural products are consistent with our domestic statutory protections–specifically those relating to animal and plant health, animal welfare and the environment–across the UK. The TAC invited submissions from members of the public for their advice on the Australia and New Zealand FTAs and is likely to run a similar process for future FTAs. UKG recognises the need for our new agri-food attaché network to have experience of the Welsh agri-food industry, and knowledge of agri-food commodities from across the UK. DEFRA has engaged closely with the Welsh Government to coordinate our agri-food attaché network plans with their own strategy and overseas presence. We have encouraged the Welsh Government to share the job advertisements widely through their networks, to ensure strong candidates with a deep understanding of Welsh agri-food issues apply.
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