9. Will the Minister make a statement regarding the future of food sustainability in Wales? OQ59660

The Welsh Government is committed to supporting the food and drink industry in Wales in respect of environmental and economic sustainability, and to ensure the industry continues to deliver to address the needs of the people of Wales.

Thank you, Minister, for that answer. As you're aware, sustainable food production will be fundamental in our quest for food security here in Wales. Sadly, I believe the benefits for future generations of anchoring food security in legislation were not recognised recently. However, the fact remains that there is huge demand for Government to take action that spans wider than the agricultural Bill or the sustainable farming scheme or any community food strategy, and I welcome the commitments you've made to date.

Last month, the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee made several recommendations to the Government. One was the publication of a document setting out all of the Government's food policies across departments, showing how these align against the Government's key overarching objectives in relation to food. Minister, can the Senedd expect such a document to be published and, if so, when would you envisage it being available for scrutiny?

Thank you. Yes, the Senedd can expect it. I'm going to say 'autumn this year'. I'll say 'autumn this year', but, you know, it might extend into the winter. But, just to let you know, there's a significant amount of work already going on across Government. And you will have heard me say in response to the debate on your food Bill—I think it was in answer to Jenny Rathbone—that the First Minister was going to convene all Ministers, along with our officials, to look at the significant food policy work that was going on across Government to try and link it up. The First Minister chaired that meeting yesterday, and it was fascinating. Even I learned things that were going on within food. Food sits within my portfolio, but to hear of the significant work going on right across Government, from nearly every Minister, in relation to food policy—. So, what I've asked officials to do now is to bring all that work together in a single document. Some of it will absolutely fit into the work of the community food strategy, which, as you know, we're working on with Plaid Cymru as part of the co-operation agreement to bring forward that community food strategy. Others won't fit into the community food strategy, but I think it will be important to bring all that work together in the document that you've just referred to. So, the first stage of the work will be to bring the work together. I've asked for that be done by the end of this term, so in just over four weeks' time. That can be then looked at over the summer, looking forward then to bringing forward the document that you've just questioned me about. So, as I say, I hope it will be the autumn, but if I say before Christmas, I think I'll cover myself.