Policy and research impact

Dr Gareth Enticott from the School of Geography and Planning has secured a place on a new fellowship scheme with The National Assembly for Wales.

The fellowship scheme enables academics to spend time working with Assembly staff on specific research projects.  Gareth will be undertaking a four month fellowship under this scheme, where he will be carrying out primary and secondary research on Bovine TB in Wales.

Speaking about the fellowship Gareth said: “I will be using this time to further develop my research on bovine TB and work with the Research Service to address gaps in our knowledge.

“Some of my time will be spent communicating the findings of existing social research to Assembly Members so that they fully understand the social complexities and realities of bovine Tuberculosis for farmers and vets. I’m also looking forward to conducting some new research on the role of overseas vets in Wales in managing TB and the potential impacts of Brexit.”

The outputs will be used by the Research Service to ensure that Assembly Members from all political parties are better informed about Bovine TB.”

Llywydd of the National Assembly for Wales, Elin Jones AM, said: “This new pilot fellowship with Cardiff University builds on the excellent progress we have already made in enhancing the work of the National Assembly’s Research Service. This new way of working is proving to be of great benefit as it brings in external expertise on important policy matters to supplement the knowledge of Members and will assist them in their scrutiny of the Welsh Government. It also fits well with our strategic goals of providing outstanding parliamentary support and engaging with all the people of Wales.”

Over the last 15 years, Gareth has been instrumental in highlighting how the ‘social realities’ of farming and veterinary practice affects the management of animal disease. His research has been instrumental in highlighting farmers’ feelings of alienation from TB policy, and how their trust in Government and science influences their adoption of different biosecurity practices. Similarly, his research has also examined how the diagnosis of bovine TB by veterinarians is shaped by social and cultural pressures, and government restructuring of the veterinary profession. More recently, Gareth’s work has led him to examine the relevance of New Zealand’s experience of reducing bTB and the impacts of Brexit upon the supply of veterinary labour.

Gareth’s work has already been used by Government: he helped develop Defra’s the Biosecurity Action Plan, evaluated policies in Wales such as TB Cymorth, and help develop the new Government website to provide information to farmers on disease in their local area (www.ibtb.co.uk). He has also previously worked on secondment in the Welsh Government and at the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

The Assembly’s Research Service provides impartial research and briefings to all 60 Assembly Members and is operating the new fellowship scheme.  The outputs of this scheme will have mutual benefit to the academic and to the National Assembly for Wales as a whole.   All outputs, including research briefings, will be made publically available on completion of the fellowship.