Alun Davies, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and European Programmes
This was published under the 2011 to 2016 administration of the Welsh Government
It is one year on since the publication of the Working Smarter report in which Gareth Williams made 74 recommendations to the Welsh Government on improving the regulatory framework as it applies to farming in Wales. The recommendations are far reaching, and success is dependent on close partnership working between Government and the farming industry. I have been working with officials and the industry to implement the recommendations and I believe significant progress is being made.
Gareth returned in the autumn, at my invitation, to review progress and to assess whether improvements to the regulatory framework have been achieved. He has been meeting with farmers and farming representatives to discuss the regulatory burden and changes experienced in the last year. I look forward to receiving Gareth’s conclusions and recommendations, which he will be presenting to me in a report in February.
A Welsh Government response to the report will issue prior to the Easter recess.