South Wales Central MS and Former Welsh Conservative Senedd Leader Andrew RT Davies has demanded Labour Senedd ministers clarify rules on bluetongue regulations urgently, after Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies appeared to contradict advice issued by the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
An APHA text communication issued to Welsh farmers last week stated that “cattle fully vaccinated with the Boehringer ‘Bultavo-3’ vaccine can now move to Wales without a pre-movement test.”
The Deputy First Minister was asked in the Senedd if Welsh Government would be willing to consider allowing livestock that are vaccinated against the bluetongue virus to move from England to Wales without a negative test.
In response, he stated “not at this moment”.
Recognising the disparity with the APHA’s guidance, the Welsh Conservative Senedd member asked the Deputy First Minister to clarify his remarks. Mr Irranca-Davies stated that he was “responding to a slightly different question”.
Mr Davies said the comments will cause considerable confusion. He has written to the Deputy First Minister asking him to clarify his remarks, and correct the Senedd’s record of proceedings if necessary.
Mr Davies said:
“The Deputy First Minister’s comments appear to directly contradict the communication issued by the APHA.
“Welsh farmers are already under considerable stress from the impacts Labour Senedd ministers’ disproportionate measures will have – and this confusion will only exacerbate that.
“The Deputy First Minister must clarify his remarks urgently and correct the record if required.”
ENDS
NOTE: Please find attached a communication issued on 20th June 2025 by the Animal and Plant Health Agency
NOTE: Please find attached correspondence from Andrew RT Davies to Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies
NOTE: Please find below the Senedd’s record of proceedings from 25th June 2025
https://record.senedd.wales/Plenary/15150
Rhun ap Iorwerth
So, in order to increase vaccination uptake, and to mitigate some of the practical impacts on the border, and so on, would the Welsh Government be willing to consider allowing livestock that are vaccinated to move without the need for a negative test?
Huw Irranca-Davies
In direct answer to your question, not at this moment. But, when I stood here and made the statement last week, I said that we would keep the situation live under review. We’re keen to engage and to listen to not only the veterinarians.
Andrew RT Davies
But more importantly, bearing in mind the critical decision that you have taken, one that I passionately disagree with—and I should have mentioned my declaration of interest as a livestock farmer, Deputy Presiding Officer—could you name an organisation based in the livestock sector or supporting the livestock sector that supports your decision to create a barrier between livestock movements between England and Wales rather than keeping a one-zone area of England and Wales for the provision of animal health when it comes to blue tongue?
Huw Irranca-Davies
There will need to be, as I’ve said—and, by the way, I don’t know if you were at the annual gathering yesterday of the veterinary organisations as well, and the BVA, but it was interesting to hear their views on this as well and keeping the disease out, on trying to lock the disease out—I don’t know if you were able to attend the technical briefing the other day, maybe, maybe not, that we arranged for Members, because it went through an immense detail. The answer that I gave to the leader of the opposition was in response to a slightly different question, but I’m more than happy to write to you if you weren’t able to attend that technical briefing that many Members did attend to give you the whole A to Z of how this policy is working, what it means for cattle, what it means for sheep, what it doesn’t mean in terms of actually putting down a hard border, because we have not put a hard border in place, but farmers will need to work with their on-farm vet now to actually decide what is the right approach. And if they’re going to have cattle movements, if they’re going to have sheep movements, then they need to work through the rules that we’ve put in place.