3. What representations has the Counsel General made on behalf of the Welsh Government in relation to the Brexit process? OAQ51333

This question again engages the law officers' convention, but I can say that the Welsh Government has been actively engaged in working with the UK Government and the Scottish Government. The work has included participation in the JMC mechanisms, proposing amendments to the EU withdrawal Bill to deal with concerns about devolved matters, and the publication of clear policy on Brexit-related matters.

Counsel General, I've been very disappointed by the way in which the Labour Party has been voting at Westminster in recent weeks on crucial votes surrounding the Brexit process. One of those votes is particularly relevant to you, in your interest as Counsel General. A Plaid Cymru amendment, which would have made legislative consent motions over Brexit in this place legally binding, was not supported by your party in Westminster. Meanwhile, the party of Government in Scotland, as well as the Liberal Democrats—both parties that you are working with in this Government here—did support our amendment, and saw no problem with it. Indeed, a single Labour Member from Wales also saw no problem, broke the whip, and supported our amendment. Can you explain to this Chamber whether the Welsh Government is doing anything to ensure that Wales has a say over how the Brexit process unfolds? And can you explain why that work isn't reflected in the actions of Labour MPs?

Well, extensive work is under way across the Welsh Government to ensure that we maximise our influence within the UK, and influence the formal EU negotiations, to achieve our objectives. We've made significant progress recently, as the Cabinet Secretary for Finance indicated yesterday to the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee, in relation to the development of common frameworks in particular. And the Welsh Government's overall position on EU exit was set out in our White Paper 'Securing Wales' Future', obviously, which we agreed with Plaid Cymru.

We've got specific concerns in relation to the EU Withdrawal Bill, as she is aware, and we've worked in concert with the Scottish Government to table amendments to deal with that Bill's deficiencies, in particular in relation to devolved matters. And we remain willing to work with the UK Government on this matter.

We have decided to operate in conjunction with the Scottish Government to put forward a series of amendments to the Bill to address deficiencies in terms of devolution in particular. The approach the Government's taken is to seek the widest possible cross-party support in Parliament for those amendments. And the First Minister has indicated that, obviously, he wants to see this Assembly having a voice over the withdrawal agreement, once the terms of this are clear.