I was pleased and encouraged to launch this White Paper with the Government yesterday, and whatever differences the parties here have on public services and the day-to-day business of scrutiny, on the matter of leaving the European Union, it's essential, in as far as we can, that Wales speaks with one voice and creates a position that reflects the Welsh national interest. This is too big a question for one party to decide. For us in Plaid Cymru, the opportunity to influence and shape this White Paper was one we were keen to take. Through a process of negotiation, we've been able to raise the profile of a number of our key priorities.

Before asking some questions, I'd like to outline some of those points from the First Minister's statement. I welcome that there is now preference for continued single market participation and a range of ways that this can be achieved. There has been a lively debate about this, but the preference that has emerged is that we need to protect those two thirds of exports that go to the single market and that we need to avoid tariffs and other barriers.

I welcome the continued principle in favour of the free movement of people. I'm pleased that there’s a commitment to have current spending levels for EU programmes protected, not least the vital agricultural funding that sustains our farming communities, our rural life and our Welsh language. There’s also a strong message that there must be no rollback whatsoever of devolved powers. There must be no downgrading of workers' rights and environmental protections. And on the question of devolved powers, we've already heard today how the issues around the Sewel convention are seen by the courts as political rather than legal, and this would suggest to us that, following the passage of the Wales Bill, we need to start the debate on the next constitutional phase as soon as possible. As Simon Thomas said in the last discussion, let's bring an end to this colonial rule.

First Minister, I'm pleased most of all that Wales now has a plan. In the absence of anything concrete from Westminster, in the absence of any idea at all from those who led the ‘leave’ campaign, Wales now has a plan based on evidence. And I’d say to those of you, especially those Brexiteer politicians who were critical of this campaign—produce your own plan. If you don’t like our solutions, then produce your own.

I want to focus my questions on the implementation of the White Paper and the negotiations. My understanding is that the next JMC is in February. Is that meeting a forum for European negotiations? Will you be holding bilateral meetings with the relevant devolved Ministers ahead of that meeting? And if we are to take the UK Government’s commitment to engagement in good faith, will there be opportunities to work directly with UK Government Ministers?

On a wider level, as the process around article 50 unfolds, Plaid Cymru wants to see as much co-operation as possible between Wales and the other devolved countries. There will be shared interests on a range of matters, particularly on the issues of EU regulations and protections. It’s central to our belief that the detail as to how we leave the EU should not be made in London or made in Westminster, but that there should be a genuine four-country approach. The Welsh voice has been strengthened significantly by the multiparty support of this Assembly, but to strengthen that voice at a UK stage, there should be close co-ordination with those other administrations. Can you therefore confirm that you will be working with the other devolved administrations and could you please tell us what form that will take?

Turning to the process of EU transition at home, here in Wales we need to ensure that the different interested sectors in our economy are informed and fully briefed on the Welsh negotiating position. The UK Government is likely to take much more notice of our position if business, farming, higher education and all of those other sectors affected by this are communicated with and invited to publicly support this plan.

The plan needs to go wider than the Welsh Government or Plaid Cymru. It needs to be understood by the whole of Welsh society, including those who voted to leave the European Union but who might well prefer continued participation in the single market. Will you therefore ensure that the different interested bodies and firms in Wales are informed and briefed on the negotiating position and that they’re invited to show their support for it in a public way? Diolch.