First of all, can I say that Plaid Cymru supports the committee’s recommendations in full? We’re very pleased that we were able to agree a cross-party report that set out so clearly the issues and concerns in leaving the European Union and what needed to be addressed by this Government, but also by the Westminster Government. Because I agree with the report, I don’t want to talk much about the report itself, but concentrate in two areas, I think. One is the area in which Plaid Cymru would have gone further than the report—so, to set out how we would respond to some of the challenges that are in here—and secondly, what’s happened since we published the report. Because it’s worth bearing in mind: we’re having this debate today, but the report was published at the end of March. What has actually happened? We’ve had several weeks, almost three months, since then—more than three months, actually; four months—where we would’ve hopefully seen some progress on some of these recommendations. Well, let’s examine a little of that.

First of all, to say how we would respond to this report. From our point of view, we believe that membership of the single market and the customs union remains the most viable and sustainable way to maintain our agriculture sector here in Wales. We have that market that has been so successful for us to date. Farmers want to remain trading with that market. Yes, they want to explore new markets that will become available, but they want to remain trading in that market, and I think the membership of the customs union and single market is the most successful way forward on that.

Plaid Cymru also wants to examine how we might firm up something that’s been said over the last few weeks around payments and continuing support for the farming sector. Because obviously, what did happen between March and today was a general election, which changed nothing, politically. It didn’t give a mandate for any sort of Brexit, has led to a mess in Westminster, and a lack of progress on the challenges set out in this report. But it has led to something that’s emerged over the last week, which is a commitment by the Westminster Government that the farming payments are now maintained for this Parliament, and that’s to 2022. So, we’ve gained a little bit of time, if you like, in that sense. I would like the Cabinet Secretary, when she has the opportunity, to confirm that she will maintain that support and it is the intention of this Government to continue that, because as she says in responding to the report,

‘Continued CAP support beyond 2020 is dependent on decisions made by HM Treasury.’

True, but Her Majesty’s Treasury, or Her Majesty’s Government, has said there will be support until 2022, so let’s hear a similar kind of in-principle support from this Welsh Government.