Local Assembly Member Paul Davies has called for a statement from the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food regarding her decision to refuse early access to the Basic Payments Scheme, despite having the levers to do so.

Mr Davies said, “Farmers in Pembrokeshire and further afield are facing significant challenges and the Welsh Government should be doing all that it can to support them. Sadly, that’s not the case as the Welsh Government has denied farmers early access to the Basic Payments Scheme. The Deputy Minister must now come to the Assembly Chamber to explain her justification for that decision.”

He added, “It’s also worrying that the Minister for Finance and Government Business, in response to my request, said that early access is what the Welsh Government is seeking. Clearly, the Welsh Government is in chaos when it comes to rural affairs with one Minister not knowing what another is doing. In the meantime, farmers are struggling across Wales with a lack of support from the Welsh Government.”