Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change
We attended the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (IMG) on 28 June.
We discussed Net Zero ambitions and agreed decarbonising and increasing carbon sequestration is a shared priority. The group also agreed each administration faces common issues where there are joint working opportunities.
We also discussed issues surrounding trade, including the UK-Australia free trade agreement, which has now been agreed in principle. In relation to the trade agreements, concerns were raised regarding animal welfare standards and a lack of engagement with the devolved governments. Also discussed was UK-EU Trade along with cooperation agreement governance.
We also discussed the recent consultation by Defra regarding the regulation of genetic technologies, where we made clear the Welsh Government is opposed to such technologies. The group then moved on to discuss the funding of fisheries and working together to ensure future funding addresses the needs of each nation. The group also discussed common frameworks with a view to finalising the provisional frameworks by the end of 2021.
A communiqué regarding this meeting is available on the UK Government website.
The Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (IMG) on 22 March was attended by Lesley Griffiths MS, then Minister for Energy, Environment and Rural Affairs, where recent border developments focusing on the Northern Ireland Protocol and the UK Border Operating model were discussed. The group also went on to discuss funding.
The next meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Group will take place on 13 September.
Future meetings are provisionally timetabled for 25 October and 6 December.