Jeremy Miles: Yes, those organisations are involved in that work, through the local resilience forums, and the four police forces are also involved in those negotiations. As the Member will know, there are already arrangements in place in terms of mutual assistance, and all of this takes places within the civil contingencies framework, which has been established for all kinds of situations. We don’t have...
Jeremy Miles: As regards the free ports, of course, from our point of view as a Government, we want to be in a position where we can have a close relationship with the single market, and within a customs union. And it’s difficult to see how the free ports, or free zones, could exist within that framework. And so we have a strategic challenge in that context. As regards discussions between Government and...
Jeremy Miles: Yes, I saw that as well. Our position, as a Government, is that the Prime Minister should request an extension to article 50 at this point. The later that is left, the more risky it becomes and the more challenges there may be to securing that. It seems to us that almost any scenario from now on requires an extension to article 50—an extension to the exit date. Even if a deal was possible...
Jeremy Miles: I'm not sure it's for me to speculate on potential discussions within the UK Government between negotiators and the Prime Minister. All I would say is that we've been very clear about the kind of deal that we think should be put before the House of Commons, and I think the Prime Minister should take all the steps she can to make that a reality.
Jeremy Miles: Well, I'm certainly conscious of the limitations of being in the EU without a voice, but I would just say that the deal that the Prime Minister has put forward to the House of Commons falls very short of the kind of deal the Welsh Labour Government, together with Plaid Cymru, has described as the kind of post-Brexit relationship we should have with the European Union. It doesn't, for example,...
Jeremy Miles: I also believe that seeking renegotiation of the deal with the EU on the basis of the Prime Minister's current red lines is a very, very optimistic strategy on her part. Of course, we know that the EU said that if she moves from the red lines, other options are available on the table, and, once again, I'd encourage the Prime Minister to take that up.
Jeremy Miles: We recognise the importance of the automotive sector to Wales and continue to press the UK Government to rule out a 'no deal' outcome whilst providing advice on mitigating actions. We are also in very close contact with the Welsh Automotive Forum and UK-wide sector bodies on Brexit.
Jeremy Miles: I thank the Member for raising this question in the Chamber. It goes to the heart, I think, of the challenge that we face with the sort of deal and the sort of negotiations the Prime Minister has been pursuing, and in Parliament. It completely fails to take account of the sorts of risks to our economy that the Member has outlined in his question. As a Government, we have taken steps to...
Jeremy Miles: I agree with the characterisation of the threat that the Member describes. I know that the economy Secretary and the Minister for international relations have this as a key priority. The investment that the Government has made, for example, in further upskilling the workforce in some of these companies is a significant dimension to the attraction of businesses to Wales in these sectors, and...
Jeremy Miles: I'm in regular contact with the Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language to ensure that my work on pressing for the least economically damaging Brexit fits in closely with her work to develop our international engagement to support the future prosperity of Wales.
Jeremy Miles: The Member refers to the British-Irish Council, which is an absolutely essential forum in this regard, and I attended it with the previous First Minister at the Isle of Man last year and saw at first hand how important that forum is and can continue to be in cementing relationships across the UK, yes, in the context of Brexit, but also in terms of future relationships more generally. As I've...
Jeremy Miles: I'm sorry?
Jeremy Miles: So, just to identify these as issues that we regard as being priority issues for us and the relationships need not be simply with Governments and state Governments but also on a sub-state level, both across Europe and further afield.
Jeremy Miles: I know that work is under way in relation to that. I'll write to the Member, if I may, in relation to that.FootnoteLink
Jeremy Miles: We welcome the evidence provided so far, which highlights the risks to the Welsh economy of any greater friction in trade with the EU. Ken Skates, the Minister for Economy and Transport, provided written evidence in October 2018, and we will make a fuller assessment once the inquiry makes its report.
Jeremy Miles: The Member's question goes to the heart of how the devolved settlement and the reserved powers interact with each other. Obviously, international relations is reserved, but in order to deliver some of the commitments made in those negotiations and agreements, that will sometimes intersect with devolved competencies in, potentially, a wide range of areas. So, it's fundamental that we reach a...
Jeremy Miles: The Member is right to describe it in that way. This isn't simply about information sharing and so on. What we want is a body that enables these issues to be fully taken into account and the particular dimensions that perhaps apply in Wales to be fully baked into that set of discussions. The sorts of issues that he has identified in his questions go to the heart of the kinds of things that we...
Jeremy Miles: I've raised the potential impacts of delays to movement of goods in discussions with UK Ministers. This is obviously an important area in which discussions are also happening internally and with stakeholders here in Wales.
Jeremy Miles: Clearly, as he indicates in his question, whilst our principal focus is in relation to ports here in Wales, food and medicines and other materials and goods that come to Wales will—you know, that port is perhaps even more important in terms of the volume of traffic and volume of freight that comes through there. It is certainly going to be the case that, particularly in a 'no deal'...
Jeremy Miles: I haven't myself had those conversations, but I will make sure that I write to the Member with a follow-up in relation to that question specifically.FootnoteLink
