10. 6. Debate on the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee Report on the Implications for Wales of Leaving the European Union: Continued

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:44 pm on 28 March 2017.

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Photo of David Rees David Rees Labour 3:44, 28 March 2017

Well, I’m sorry that he doesn’t understand the economic aspects and the benefits it gives us, but there we are—perhaps that’s UKIP.

Mark Drakeford highlighted the issues of the bilateral discussions, and the importance of the Welsh voice in those discussions is critical. That’s why we raised it, Cabinet Secretary, and that’s why I’m very glad to hear that you still believe that the role of Welsh Government being at the table is crucial. And yes, you’re right, there are challenges ahead of us, both up to 2020 and beyond 2020, because programmes will continue beyond that time. We are in a situation where this topic is rapidly evolving. We are now, tomorrow, going to get an announcement, and Thursday we’ll get another announcement on something that relates to us—a great repeal Bill, or perhaps several great repeal Bills, who knows? But it is something we’ve got to keep on top of, and I can assure you that we will.

Dirprwy Lywydd, in closing this debate I want to restate the important role the committee will play in the exit process as it formally begins tomorrow. Throughout the process, we aim to develop and sustain constructive engagement with Welsh stakeholders and the public, and only yesterday we held a conference—possibly the first in Wales, on Brexit—in which we sought to engage further with stakeholders, including young people, and I’d like to thank the students at Coleg Gwent and King Henry VIII School in Abergavenny for their attendance and involvement with this. Such future engagements will be important to us as we both gather further evidence and also as we hold a wider debate with the Welsh people on the issues we identify. We will do everything we can to understand the Welsh interests and to protect them during the exit process and the arrangements that will follow that—and I’m very pleased that the Cabinet Secretary has highlighted, once again, the importance of the transitional period that will need to be in place, because we all know two years is not going to be enough. In doing so, though, we will be holding the Welsh Government to account for its actions and aim to support the Assembly as it approaches significant legislative tasks that lie ahead of it.

The report we have debated marks a significant step in the Assembly’s consideration of Brexit. I look forward to speaking to many reports in the future from the committee, as it continues to protect the interests of Wales as we leave the European Union and prepare for our future outside it.