Jeremy Miles: I'll try and relate my response to some of the evidence, which I think is probably a helpful way of looking at this. The reality is that there was a significant downturn in inward investment following the 2016 referendum. I'm pleased to say that through the good efforts of an awful lot of people, last year saw an increase from that reduced level, so that is positive and we absolutely welcome...
Jeremy Miles: The trade and co-operation agreement has addressed some of the uncertainty that has deterred investment since the referendum in 2016. But Wales and the UK no longer offer barrier-free access to a single market of 450 million people, and that may well dampen, to some extent, inward investment from overseas.
Jeremy Miles: I absolutely agree that these are not to be dismissed as teething problems. They are issues to be taken seriously, and we are doing that as a Government because of the reasons the Member outlines in his question. We are very clear that the land bridge between Ireland and mainland Europe is strategically very important for us, and we are doing everything that we can to bring resolution to...
Jeremy Miles: As I mentioned earlier, we have articulated a very different vision for how regional funding should work in Wales, and that is the case that we continue to make. We think that is a much more rational way of supporting the Welsh economy on a Wales-wide level but also the regions of Wales, and to devolve decision making in a very productive and more effective way. He will know, given the list...
Jeremy Miles: I do agree with Dai Lloyd that, in terms of both the quantum of the funding and the fact that it's not ring-fenced to Wales, the notion this is a levelling-up fund is an inaccurate description. There is a better way of doing this. There are substantial funds that are available, clearly, but there is a way of doing it that does in fact reflect the needs of businesses and communities in Wales...
Jeremy Miles: I'm not sure I recognise the worldview of the Member, where Welsh people should be grateful for having investment made out of their own taxes in Wales, but it is, I suppose, a worldview. My preferred approach is to make sure that two things happen. Firstly, in relation to areas that are not devolved, that the UK Government stops short-changing Wales, so whether that's in terms of energy...
Jeremy Miles: Well, I'm pleased that she stayed on the theme of ports. I didn't quite get from her rationale why she thought it would be appropriate that Welsh ports ought to be funded at a lower rate than ports in other parts of the UK, so I will ask her, please, if she could help me with that when she asks her next question. I do think it's an important part of standing up for the Welsh ports. On the...
Jeremy Miles: Well, I'm grateful to Janet Finch-Saunders for identifying the needs of ports, and the economies near to ports, as being in need of particular support as a consequence of leaving the European Union. That is certainly the case, and our approach as a Government very much is the one that she described in her question, which is to work with ports, port authorities, hauliers and businesses and the...
Jeremy Miles: I thank the Member for giving me another opportunity to describe the shortcomings of the fund, but he describes a continuation of engagement as though there had been material engagement. The whole point of this process is that there has been none. And when you ask—. When the Member asks me what we will do with Welsh local government, we will continue the collaborative partnership working...
Jeremy Miles: May I thank Rhianon Passmore for that question? She will recall, of course, as I do, that, when the spending review happened in November, a Barnett consequential was promised to Wales in relation to the levelling-up fund, so that it could be administered in the way that she describes, in accordance with the democratic accountability of the Welsh Government to this Senedd. That is not what has...
Jeremy Miles: Well, the Member is right. The UK Government seems to be taking a deliberate approach to undermine the kind of planned, strategic, co-developed approach to regional development that we have favoured here in Wales in favour, effectively, of political discretion. And we've seen the impact of that in the towns fund in England, which has been severely criticised for a range of shortcomings by the...
Jeremy Miles: Llywydd, I understand you've given permission for questions 2 and 8 to be grouped.
Jeremy Miles: The UK Government are still not providing any detail about the shared prosperity fund, four years after first mooting it. But what is clear is that it intends to bypass devolution, but also to ignore the hard work of stakeholders right across Wales in creating our framework for regional investment.
Jeremy Miles: Llywydd, may I say, I saw online earlier today the launch by Dawn Bowden of this survey? And I think it's an example of exactly the kind of engagement with businesses in constituencies that I think is essential as a result of leaving the transition period. So, I commend that initiative very strongly. And I agree with Dawn Bowden that the conditions for our businesses have changed radically at...
Jeremy Miles: I recently published an analysis of the implications of the trade and co-operation agreement. The new relationship with the European Union negotiated by the United Kingdom Government disadvantages our businesses, limits the rights of our citizens to live and work abroad, and may make it more difficult to recruit workers for our essential services, and threatens investment in our communities.
Jeremy Miles: The UK Government failed to protect our seafood industry in the deal it negotiated with the EU and it is now in a critical state. We are focusing efforts on immediate support for the sector, as well as what options there are for the sector in the medium and long terms.
Jeremy Miles: We continue to work with the UK Government to ease the pressures on businesses and hauliers trading through Welsh ports. In December, we published a new export action plan setting out the support available to Welsh exporters and we regularly update our Business Wales and Preparing Wales websites.
Jeremy Miles: We work closely with the UK Single Issuing Authority and Welsh Government officials are on its governing board. All applications the SIA receives from EU member state vessels to fish in Welsh waters have to be assessed and approved by the Welsh Government before licences can be issued.
Jeremy Miles: Yes, indeed. I do support that ambition. I would have hoped by now to have been able to make sure the Law Wales website, in its new revamped format, would be live, and also I think to have made more progress on the bilingual publication of legislation on the legislation.gov.uk website. Both those projects were somewhat delayed during the response to COVID, if you like. But we have made...
Jeremy Miles: The Senedd has seen the Government progress its ambitions for increased content about Welsh law, including steps to improve explanatory notes, to develop a new Law Wales website and to begin the work to organise and publish law by subject, rather than chronologically.
