<p>Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders</p>

Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:46 pm on 17 January 2017.

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Photo of Leanne Wood Leanne Wood Plaid Cymru 1:46, 17 January 2017

Thank you for that answer, First Minister. Plaid Cymru would argue that Wales is now facing a made-in-London plan for withdrawing from the European Union. I’m glad that you mentioned the question of exports. On this map, the risk to Wales from a hard Brexit is illustrated very strongly, I think. The Welsh economy is the most dependent part of the UK on exports to the EU. Manufacturing economies like ours rely the most upon that market. We’re talking about industrial jobs, jobs in the food industry, in tourism, jobs that are vital to people in Wales, which cannot be put at risk. Now, we also know that much of the non-European investment into Wales has been attracted here because of our position in the single market. Another risk to this country, beyond losing our position in the single market, is that we are heading for neoliberalism—ultra-neoliberalism—based on deregulation and privatisation, based on slashing workers’ rights, based on watering down environmental regulations that keep our country and our landscape clean. We face losing so many of the hard-won gains, and none of us should be prepared to put those at risk easily. First Minister, will you commit to exploring how we can avoid taking this path of economic and social vandalism, and will you champion the need for continued participation in the single market and for the highest possible standards for workers, consumers and for businesses?