Hart ‘doesn’t make time to meet farming unions’
WELSH Secretary Simon Hart has been accused of not making enough time to meet Wales’ farming unions to discuss his government’s trade deal with New Zealand but will attend this weekend’s rugby game with the country’s High Commissioner.
The claim was made in a Welsh affairs select committee by Gower MP Tonia Antoniazzi.
She later said it was “disappointing that the Secretary of State for Wales has not met or consulted with the farming unions in his official capacity in over a year, especially over the trade deal with New Zealand which will have the biggest impact on farming communities in Wales”.
When we subsequently asked the Wales Office to list the times Mr Hart has met farming unions it was unable to provide a list.
A spokesman did confirm Mr Hart would attend today’s game with New Zealand with the High Commissioner as a guest of the WRU.
When we asked Wales’ two biggest farming unions, one told us: “It is true to say that in his role as Secretary of State for Wales, the level of engagement we have had with Mr Hart has not been as regular as it was with his predecessors.”
During a meeting of the Welsh Affairs select committee in the Commons on Thursday, Ms Antoniazzi said she had “grave concerns” about the agreement between the UK and New Zealand and asked Mr Hart when he had met the unions and to detail their most recent meetings.
Mr Hart said he met the NFU at the Conservative Party conference and was seeing a representative from FUW in an “unofficial” capacity in his constituency that afternoon.
He was joined at the meeting by deputy minister David TC Davies.
Mr Hart added: “I think it’s important in both our constituencies... we’re heavily reliant on agriculture as one of the key sectors and not everybody is a member of the farming union. I think it’s important to stress I speak to a lot of farmers.
“I think we need to take a broad view from agriculture, and the industry, which isn’t always represented by union voices.”
He was pressed on how many meetings there had been between him in his role as Secretary of State and farming unions.
“I know what it’s like at conference, I know it’s often a chat and a photo opportunity,” Ms Antoniazzi told him.
Mr Hart’s deputy replied “speak for yourself” with laughter.
Mr Hart, smiling, said: “I know what you mean. NFU Cymru and FUW are part of what we call our stakeholders group in the Wales Office and we meet with them at an official or ministerial level frequently.
“Do I have the dates in front of me? No, but if you want the dates I’m always very happy to provide them.”
He added: “We correspond quite frequently, I sent a letter this week about the New Zealand trade deal this week.”
Ms Antoniazzi ended her comments telling Mr Hart: “As long as you meet them before you meet the New Zealand High Commissioner at the rugby, that’s the main thing.” Mr Hart laughed in response. WalesOnline asked the Wales Office to confirm the meetings Mr Hart has had with the two unions in the build-up to and since the trade deal was signed.
We also asked if he plans to attend the Wales v New Zealand game today in Cardiff with the New Zealand High Commissioner, and who was paying for the tickets.
A spokesman from the Wales Office was unable to give details of meetings that have taken place with farming bodies, saying there have been “frequent” meetings but it was not yet possible to list those meetings.
They confirmed the Secretary of State is due to attend the Wales v New Zealand rugby international today alongside the New Zealand High Commissioner as a guest of the Welsh Rugby Union.
We also asked the two biggest farming unions in Wales, NFU and FUW, whether they felt there had been enough engagement with the UK Government, and specifically Mr Hart, before the deal was signed, and since.
A spokesman for NFU Cymru said: “NFU Cymru has had regular, extensive and constructive engagement with successive Secretaries of State for Wales, this included sitting on various stakeholder groups set up by the Wales Office and regular meetings between NFU Cymru officeholders and the Secretary of State.
“Since becoming the MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, NFU Cymru has had good engagement with Simon Hart MP in the constituency. We recognise that different ministers will have different approaches to managing stakeholder relationships, however, it is true to say that in his role as Secretary of State for Wales, the level of engagement we have had with Mr Hart has not been as regular as it was with his predecessors.
“We recently wrote to the Secretary of State seeking a meeting to discuss the current labour shortages on farm and within the agri-food supply chain, and hope that the Secretary of State will be able to meet with us shortly to discuss that, along with other issues impacting on Welsh farming. We were pleased to welcome the Secretary of State to our stand for a brief and informal conversation at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester earlier this month.”
The FUW did not answer directly but said: “As a union which represents a significant lobby within the Wales agricultural sector, the FUW always welcomes the opportunity to discuss issues with Mr Hart and with the UK Government and Welsh Senedd generally.”