National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Agriculture and Rural Development) Order 2009

I declare an interest as a Scottish farmer, in so far as it may be considered relevant to this issue. We are talking about the red meat industry. In the Scottish context we have recently seen a contraction of about 20 per cent in both beef and cattle in the red meat industry, and I wonder whether a similar situation is not happening in Wales. That is a useful point. This measure puts more power into the hands of the Welsh Assembly Government. As the noble Lord, Lord Elystan-Morgan, pointed out, however, perhaps it is just taking up an initiative that exists already. If there is any similarity between the Welsh and Scottish positions, it will take considerably more than this measure to keep the red meat industry from deteriorating further. I understand that the Welsh Assembly Government are resisting the implementation of a review of the less-favoured areas regulation being promoted by the EU Commission. An overall perspective will have to be taken on the situation, and one wonders whether the order should have said more about the powers for rural development.