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Agricultural Policy

That is an uncharacteristic note of criticism from my hon. Friend. He is right. Powys is an integral part of this picture too. The issue has perplexed the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and the Welsh Affairs Committee. The Minister of State has come to both those Committees and given evidence. It continues to worry those working at the sites and the wider agricultural community. The Welsh Affairs Committee has been to Carmarthen and met staff from both Carmarthen and Aberystwyth. It was an impressive experience. The dedication of the staff was unquestionable. The average length of service of the Carmarthen staff was 31 years. We heard about the parasitology work; the expertise developed in Aberystwyth makes it a real centre of excellence. But the real concern revolves around the practicalities of the new arrangements. The following questions were put to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee by members of staff at the Carmarthen meeting. How can another site such as Shrewsbury deliver a 24-hour turnaround time in the analysis of samples? How can there be a 24-hour turnaround time from the delivery of an infected carcase to the door of the facilities in Carmarthen? How can they proceed through the analysis, the diagnosis and the treatment within 24 hours? We heard that 43% of samples in the preceding two months were delivered to that Carmarthen site by hand. As I said in my question, both Carmarthen and Aberystwyth have built up extensive, encyclopaedic knowledge of their local areas, the farms, the risks and the potential solutions.