Jeremy Miles: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I move the motion. I'm pleased to bring forward a legislative consent motion in respect of the UK Government Trade (Disclosure of Information) Bill. Whilst this LCM relates to a new Bill, the content is familiar, as it largely replicates data collection and sharing trade information provisions within the Trade Bill. I laid a supplementary consent memorandum...
Jeremy Miles: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. The Welsh Government wants to take all steps to ensure that the Senedd elections take place in May of next year, despite the ongoing challenges arising as a result of the COVID pandemic. That is why we are introducing this enabling legislation for that election.
Jeremy Miles: The Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order is the next step in that process. The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 2007 sets out detailed rules for the conduct of elections to the Senedd, and includes provision for legal challenge. Ahead of each Senedd election, the conduct Order is reviewed and amended to take account of any policy or...
Jeremy Miles: Well, I think the answer to Neil Hamilton's question is the same answer that I gave to David Rowlands's question.
Jeremy Miles: [Inaudible.]—three letters on fisheries, level playing field and governance, which I sent to Michael Gove a number of weeks ago, that set out our preferred position in relation to each of those outstanding areas. I've asked for the opportunity, in more than one Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations), to be party to the strategic trade-offs that the UK Government is considering in...
Jeremy Miles: I thank Rhianon Passmore for that question. She is right to say that Wales has a larger percentage of our exports to the European Union than any other part of the United Kingdom. In order to support our exporters in the months that lie ahead, the Welsh Government has contracted the services of a cohort of international trade advisers, who will be available to support exporters to navigate the...
Jeremy Miles: May I agree with that final point, and endorse Dai Lloyd's comments on the work that is being done across Wales to prepare for this, with the Welsh Government, but also with our partners and the various sectors, in preparation for the end of the transition period, which is just 16 days away? So, Dai Lloyd is right to say that some disruption is inevitable in both scenarios facing us, because...
Jeremy Miles: We'll just clarify a couple of things for the record, shall we? The oven-ready deal is absolutely not as the Member describes it, and I'm sure that the Prime Minister will be extremely grateful to him for reading out so faithfully the salvaged lines, which, clearly, have been circulated in Westminster to try and change the perceptions around that. And on the list of powers that he's...
Jeremy Miles: We were told at the start of the negotiations that the Prime Minister had an oven-ready deal. Well, where is it? And we were told by the UK Government that by insisting, in the face of all logic, to push ahead with the 31 December deadline for the end of transition, despite the COVID pandemic, they would bring an end to the uncertainty that has dogged the UK for the last four years. Well, the...
Jeremy Miles: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. On Sunday, yet another milestone in the negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU passed, again without a breakthrough. I was expecting to be able to update you today on the precise nature of our future relationship with the EU. I had hoped to mention the key actions that businesses, citizens and public services would now need to take to...
Jeremy Miles: I would just like to reassure him that in relation to the Japan trade deal in particular, which he mentioned in his question, we have had good involvement in relation to that. I published this week an assessment of the impact of the trade deal for the Welsh economy, generally speaking. Broadly speaking, it replicates the current arrangement, but there are some ways in which it extends...
Jeremy Miles: Indeed, I have. I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on the implications of post-EU transition international trade, and these include the meetings of the Cabinet sub-committee on European transition and trade.
Jeremy Miles: The capacity of the MHRA to act swiftly, as it has done, has been within the framework of existing European Union regulation, as the Member will know. I think his question points in the direction of international collaboration in this space, and I think it's important to recognise the development of the vaccines have, in fact, been an incredibly international effort. In a sense, looking at a...
Jeremy Miles: I don't accept any of that. So, I don't accept the language that the Member uses, which I think is inflammatory and designed to be inflammatory. I think we should have a fair and balanced immigration policy—it's the one we have until the UK Government replaces it.
Jeremy Miles: It is extremely good news that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has been able to approve the supply of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. It has been able to do so using provisions under European law, which will apply until 1 January 2021.
Jeremy Miles: The UK Government pushing forward with its plans for a radically changed immigration system during this pandemic seems reckless, as was their decision to reject the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendation for a Wales-only shortage occupation list, which would go some way to reduce the adverse impact of the UK Government's new immigration policies on Wales.
Jeremy Miles: [Inaudible.]—with John Griffiths's supplementary question, we take every opportunity to maintain those relationships. In September, for example, the First Minister, the then Minister for international relations and I each met the EU ambassador to the UK. That's obviously a new appointment, but that EU ambassador came to Cardiff. We've also been successfully chairing the Vanguard Initiative...
Jeremy Miles: A positive relationship with the EU will remain an important priority for the Welsh Government whatever the outcome of the EU-UK negotiations, as our international strategy makes clear. We continue to foster that through engagement with EU institutions, member states, regions and networks, and in particular through our Brussels office.
Jeremy Miles: I think Dawn Bowden's question cuts to the heart of the issue here. We face today a situation, less than a month before the end of transition, where none of us in this Chamber know the basis on which we will conduct our relationships with the European Union on 1 January. I know that in her constituency and right across Wales there are businesses and organisations crying out for that...
Jeremy Miles: Leaving the transition period, even with a deal, will have profound implications for businesses and communities across Wales, including Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. We are doing all we can as a Government to prepare, and our end-of-transition action plan sets out the issues we face and the actions we are taking to support Wales. I would encourage everyone in Wales to visit the Preparing Wales...
