§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met (i) NFU and (ii) FUW officials to discuss the problems of the agriculture industry. [74179]
§ Mr. MichaelI have had numerous meetings with representatives of the NFU, FUW and CLA to discuss the problems of the farming industry. I met the President of the CLA on 25 February. I met the NFU on Friday 12 February at Ty Mawr Farm, Llanbadoc, Usk to discuss a variety of agricultural issues. I also met my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Clwyd (Mr. Ruane) and a delegation of North Wales Farmers (including members of the FUW and the NFU) on 5 February at Hottia Farm, Dyserth, North Wales to discuss a variety of agricultural issues.
Members of all three organisations have attended several of the Question and Answer sessions I have held across Wales in recent weeks. The Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Jones), met the three farming unions on 15 February and prior to this he met the NFU at the Welsh NFU Forum on 2 February. He also met NFU and FUW representatives in Brussels on 23 February, together with other UK Agriculture Ministers, prior to a meeting of the EU Agriculture Council. I understand that arrangements are in hand for a meeting with my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Ms Lawrence) and the NFU.