Jeremy Miles: We are deeply concerned at how little time remains, with the deadline of 29 March looming very large on the horizon. There is an assumption with Westminster that we can get very close to the wire and then demand an extension to article 50. This is a dangerous assumption. The longer we wait to ask for an extension, the weaker the negotiating position of the Government. The closer we get to 29...
Jeremy Miles: Llywydd, despite those encouraging words following her defeat two weeks ago, it's now quite clear that the Prime Minister is going round in circles in her cul-de-sac, reiterating red-line positions, failing to see the urgent need to extend article 50 and failing to rule out 'no deal'—in short, a continuation on the road to nowhere. Can anything be more ludicrous than the Prime Minister...
Jeremy Miles: Diolch, Llywydd. May I start by thanking the Member for Bridgend for reminding us of the powerful impact in the daily lives of people of judgments that are made in relation to Brexit, and how getting those judgments wrong can have catastrophic consequences in real lives? There were a range of contributions from Assembly Members in this debate. The vast majority I welcomed. Some, I'm afraid, I...
Jeremy Miles: I said at the start—. Yes.
Jeremy Miles: Well, I was puzzled by that bit of it, and she made lots of great sounds about free trade agreements in defence of an amendment that advocated for 'no deal'. But, as I said in my opening remarks, the Prime Minister needs to find lasting support for her approach to Brexit. I listened to Darren Millar's contribution and I have to say I think his ad hominem attacks on Jeremy Corbyn just failed...
Jeremy Miles: The Welsh Government has been considering the implications of Brexit across Wales, and acting to plan and prepare for all eventualities.
Jeremy Miles: Quite a bit of work has been taking place as regards the risk to ports in Wales generally and in the Member's constituency, as well as in Holyhead and in the north. We’ve been working with the United Kingdom Government and local government and the port operators to ensure that we model the risks to ports generally. And, generally, the ports in Fishguard and Pembroke Dock are likely to have...
Jeremy Miles: Yes, certainly. Of course, there have been discussions with the health boards. The health Minister is in continuous discussions, really, with NHS bodies to ensure that they have preparedness plans in place and to test some of those assumptions. The question that the Member asks relates to the provision of medical devices in particular. As she may know, there's been a specific piece of work...
Jeremy Miles: In his oral statement of 22 January, the Minister for Economy and Transport detailed our contingency plans for heavy goods vehicles delayed in Holyhead. Welsh Government officials have identified more than one option, and are in discussions with the Roadking truck stop facility, which we are confident will have a positive outcome.
Jeremy Miles: Well, there are very well established discussions with the port operators and with HMRC, the UK Government and local government, in particular. The Welsh Government recognises the risks around delays to the port in Holyhead. Regardless of the decisions that the UK Government is taking, the Irish Government, as part of the EU, will be imposing the full suite of EU law on traffic through the...
Jeremy Miles: A response has gone to the Secretary of State for Wales, indicating that most of the issues on which an invitation has been extended to the Welsh Government relate to where matters have been devolved to Wales. Obviously, there isn't an equivalent in terms of the work we do here, because we don't deal with reserved matters here, but I know the First Minister has also indicated that he has...
Jeremy Miles: Well, the Member emphasises a very important element, namely that whatever can be done in a 'no deal' situation, the problems in that context would mean that—. We don’t have the relevant actions available to ensure that doesn't happen. Discussions are taking place, as I say, with the UK Government and HMRC on this, based on the modelling of various scenarios and ensuring that steps are...
Jeremy Miles: The Welsh Government's position is very clear on this.
Jeremy Miles: It is. I may not be able to convey it very loudly today, but—. [Laughter.]
Jeremy Miles: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Our position as a Government—
Jeremy Miles: Our position as a Government is set out in 'Securing Wales' Future'. The kind of deal for a post-Brexit relationship we would like to see is set out in that. If that sort of deal is not available and can't be agreed, then—
Jeremy Miles: If that sort of deal is available, then the Welsh Government recognises that another referendum is a means of breaking that deadlock.
Jeremy Miles: Well, the letter from the leader of the opposition described the sort of deal that the Labour Party in Westminster would be prepared to support. And we recommend that the Prime Minister engages fully with the leader of the opposition to see if that sort of deal can emerge from discussions in Parliament. She's failed to do so so far.
Jeremy Miles: Whilst I envy the Member's ability to project across the Chamber, I won't take any lessons from him on playing politics on this issue. Our position is completely clear, and the best means of resolving this and avoiding a 'no deal' situation is for the Prime Minister to drop her red lines and seek to achieve a consensus across Parliament on the sorts of the principles that there could be a...
Jeremy Miles: That work is not complete, and that work is taking place jointly between the Welsh Government and other Governments, including the Westminster Government. The work is ongoing at present. What is important is to ensure and be clear with people that they don’t need to behave in any different way at the moment. We are not asking the NHS to respond any differently to GPs, as in giving people...
