First Minister, thank you for your statement today. I do believe that your last comments in particular about reflecting on the contents of the White Paper are correct. It is a point to debate, it is a point to discuss, and I do hope that each Member will look at it constructively and either offer an alternative, or, obviously, support some of the sentiments in the paper. I make no bones about it; on this side of the Chamber, there are pieces of this White Paper that we will find common ground over. It cannot be right that we end up at loggerheads debating and discussing such important issues, and if we can reach a consensus, Wales’s voice is far greater for that consensus.

That brings me to the top of the statement, where the First Minister talks about the wider consensus that can be established across the Assembly, which makes for a more powerful message from Wales. I do bitterly, bitterly regret that the First Minister chose not to even enter into any discussions whatsoever with this side of the Chamber. I accept that those discussions might have hit a quagmire and might have gone nowhere. Equally, they might well have progressed, and there could be have been a set of principles—[Interruption.] It’s all well and good the nationalists over there going on, and I’ll deal with your comments later, but it could have been very beneficial. As the First Minister’s statement points out, when this Chamber speaks with one voice, that voice is far greater, it is stronger and it is clearer. So, regrettably, I do regret that the First Minister didn’t choose that course, certainly in the early days, to explore some of those options. And I would be grateful to understand why the First Minister did not choose to explore those avenues when the offer was made to him to explore what assistance could be had, as in my message to him on 24 June about exploring the possibility of working together to find solutions to some of the problems and issues that could be thrown up by the result of the referendum.

I’d also like to ask the First Minister in particular—. When we’re talking about the single market, and access to the single market, no-one want to see restrictions on trade, whether that be on a global platform or on a European platform. But it is a fact that the people of Wales and the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. And by being a member of the European Union, you were entitled to be a member of the single market. Now, some of the tenets that underpin that single market around immigration are problematic if you’re looking to invoke access to the market, or participation in the market. I’d be grateful to understand how the First Minister sees either membership, participation, or access, because the document talks of all three when it’s speaking about the single market and the ability for Welsh companies and Welsh opportunities within that market.

It moves on then to define about jobs and, in particular, how one of the solutions that the First Minister and Plaid Cymru put forward to get over the immigration question that, for some people, was central to their vote in the referendum, was the ability to control immigration. Now, the First Minister has put the proposal forward about people should have a job or they should be allowed into the country for a period of time to find a job. I’d be grateful to understand what the First Minister would determine classifies as a job to allow access into the United Kingdom. Because this is really important when deciding if this option actually stacks up or not.

Then, it goes without saying that we will all fight within this Chamber to secure Wales’s share of resources, to make sure that our higher education sector, our rural economy and, indeed, structural funding can benefit from that money coming into Wales. There is no argument there, and we will work tirelessly with anyone in this Chamber who shares that sentiment. It is vital that a positive message is put forward that, when that money is allocated, we will start to use that money to move us off the bottom of the league tables, which has blighted the Welsh economy on so many fronts. But what is important is, actually, if we are to secure a fair share of that money—and maybe even an increased share of that money—that, on these areas, we do look at a UK-wide framework in debating and discussing how that money can come to Wales, and, indeed, to other parts of the United Kingdom. I’d be grateful if the First Minister could reply as to what his views are on a UK framework when it comes to agriculture, when it comes to structural funds and when it comes to HE funding, because I think, again, that’s a very important area to consider as to how we actually get the money recycled around the United Kingdom.

I do believe the paragraph on constitutional arrangements is most probably the most important paragraph in this statement. There is a huge amount of work to be done to work out how the United Kingdom will govern itself and will run itself post the Brexit negotiations. I endorse the comments that David Melding and others in this Chamber have talked about, and, actually, there is a direct impact that we can have here, if we actually engage positively and seriously in this really important area of post-Brexit negotiations.

I can understand the passion and I can understand the commitment that many in this Chamber have to try and discuss things that reside outside of this Chamber, but, actually, on constitutional arrangements, we can make a massive impact. Again, I would like to hear from the First Minister how, running in parallel with the negotiations on Brexit, he sees the Welsh Government and, indeed, this White Paper, informing how we might be able to get to the point where those arrangements would be robust, would be long term and, above all, answer the question in a post-EU United Kingdom—that we have those arrangements in place. We’re only talking 730 days once article 50 is triggered—it is a very short period of time.

The other point that I think is a really critical point in this statement is the transitional arrangements. Now, we can focus on the transitional arrangements around leaving the EU, but it is important that we reflect on transitional arrangements within the UK itself. So, we look at what transitional arrangements might be needed to be put in place, not just with the EU, if that’s what’s required, but how those transitional arrangements would work in a devolved United Kingdom. And, again, little or no time—from what I can see in the paper, and, indeed, in the wider discussion—has looked at that particular aspect of how it might or might not need to work, depending on how those negotiations will work out.

As I said at the top of my statement, I do bitterly regret that the First Minister shut the door on co-operation. But, from this side of the house, we will continue to work with colleagues in Westminster, who are on point in these negotiations, to make sure Wales’s best interest is served. And I welcome the access and I welcome the commitment from my colleagues to work with Welsh Conservatives in this Chamber to secure what is in the best interests of Wales once these negotiations are concluded.