3. 3. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:54 pm on 28 June 2016.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 3:54, 28 June 2016

Diolch yn fawr, Simon Thomas. I think the six priorities that the First Minister set out in his statement on Friday—those six priorities, again, of protecting jobs, playing a full part in discussions regarding UK withdrawal from the EU—very importantly, as you made the point—ensuring that the UK retains access to the single market, negotiating continued participation in EU programmes until the end of 2020, and, of course, now having to undertake that work, in response to your last question, to assess what that means in terms of projects that are considering a way forward, not just—. I mentioned in response to Jenny Rathbone the rural development programme, and the fact that the bidding round, of course, has been opened, and I’m sure your constituents are asking the same question. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, who is clearly responsible in terms of European structural funds, is closely assessing these impacts. So, clearly, the responsibilities that are now shared by Cabinet Secretaries and led by the First Minister are being clearly laid out in terms of the way forward, but we have to, as you say, make sure that we enable the Assembly—the full Assembly, and recognising those important points about cross-party engagement now—. We shortly, hopefully, will be setting up our policy and legislation committees and a committee, which I will now call the seventh policy and legislation committee—which we had always anticipated, whatever the result of the referendum, would need to take on post-EU-referendum consideration and consultation on impacts—now is going to be able to not only elect a Chair and provide cross-party members, but it will obviously need to start and meet before the end of this session with a programme into the autumn.

So, we have to ensure that we also look at other ways in which we can engage, and the committee may wish to engage not just in terms of the Assembly and cross-party concerns engagement but outside the Assembly as well and of course with stakeholders in the communities that we engage with, but also looking at the important role of Wales House. Of course, we have already, as the First Minister has said—. He is ensuring that there is that negotiating team in Brussels and there will need to be, of course, strong engagement to ensure that the Assembly as a whole understands and is fully briefed on each step, but also contributing as well.