8. Following the triggering of Article 50, what discussions does the First Minister intend to have with the UK Government on the establishment of a UK single market? OAQ(5)0537(FM)

The answer to that question is ‘many’. I've had many discussions already. We'll continue to hold those discussions and the Member will know that I’ve outlined what I think will be needed to continue with an internal single market within the UK itself: namely that there is a rules-based system, secondly, that those rules are agreed by all four Governments, and, thirdly, that there is an independent adjudicator—a trade court, if you like—that will police those rules. If all those requirements are satisfied, then I believe the single market can be robust.

Thank you. Other people have already referred to the Demos report that came out yesterday that suggested—as we already knew—that the effect of leaving the EU will be more significant on Wales than any other part of the United Kingdom. We've seen by the recent actions of Theresa May that the Tories are a party of broken promises. David Davis, the Brexit Minister, has said that he wants to see the exact same benefits that we currently have with the single market and customs union maintained after we leave the EU. How realistic does the First Minister think that is in light of the fact that the Prime Minister of Malta has said that, of necessity, our relationship needs to be inferior to that which we currently enjoy?

Well, it’s possible to do it via, for example, remaining in the European Economic Area. The UK Government have indicated that they don’t want the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and that they don’t want to pay into a budget pot, but if you want to be a member of a club, you have to pay a membership fee, if I can put it that way. I can’t see there being any other model. I don’t think the UK will be offered a model that is unique to the UK. Why would the European Union want to do that? So, my urging on the UK Government has been not to think of a hard Brexit or a soft Brexit but a sensible Brexit. I just don’t believe that there is a majority of people in this country who want to see a Brexit that is so hard that tariffs will be imposed, that there will be unnecessary restrictions in terms of movement in and out of the UK, and that there will be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the republic. Yes, there was a vote last year and people want to leave. What we don’t know is what they believe the terms would be. That’s the difficulty. But to my mind, it’s perfectly possible to leave the EU and yet still have full and unfettered access to the single market.