Jeremy Miles: We believe it is important that the Assembly's financing and accountability relationship with the Electoral Commission is placed on a formal footing, and we stand ready to work with the Llywydd, the Electoral Commission and the Treasury in light of Stage 1 scrutiny, to explore whether we could take this further than the Bill currently provides for. The Welsh Government also supports the clear...
Jeremy Miles: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome this Bill, which is another important milestone in the journey of devolution. The Welsh Government is very supportive of the three main aims of the Bill, as we see them. First of all, giving the Senedd a name that reflects its status as a legislature, secondly, giving young people an opportunity to vote, and thirdly, providing greater clarity for...
Jeremy Miles: Well, when it was agreed in the first place, there was a great deal of criticism in this Chamber that the Government had agreed, in principle, to secure this kind of agreement, but the agreement has succeeded. I do not doubt for a moment that there have been examples where we would have wished for greater collaboration. That is evidently clear. Things have improved over the latest period, but...
Jeremy Miles: I hesitate to say this but—[Interruption.]
Jeremy Miles: I hesitate to say this: I didn't catch what the Member asked. So, could you repeat that?
Jeremy Miles: No, it is not the case. I can't be clearer than I have been today. We have been absolutely categorical about the kind of post-Brexit relationship with the European Union the Welsh Government thinks would be in the interests of Wales. I was invited by Darren Millar to take the view that a referendum was preferable to that, and I hope that I was clear then. If the sort of deal can emerge from...
Jeremy Miles: The inter-governmental agreement has made the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 more effective in respecting devolution. Importantly, thus far there have been no clause 12 regulations to restrict devolved competence. In terms of correcting legislation, both the Welsh Government and the UK Government have worked within the spirit of the agreement.
Jeremy Miles: I thank the Member for that supplementary question. I referred to a report by the Institute for Government a few weeks ago that describes the challenge in implementing or bringing into law the Bill that is currently in front of the House of Commons in the event that there's no extension sought to the article 50 process. Whatever your view on Brexit, the practical challenges of doing that are...
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
Jeremy Miles: I have made the Welsh Government's views clear to the UK Government, most recently at last week's meeting of the JMC on EU negotiations. The UK Government must seek an extension to article 50 immediately to put an end to the threats of the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal in only seven weeks' time.
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'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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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.
