2. What support will the Commission provide to Assembly Members to maintain international networks if the UK leaves the European Union? OAQ52371

The Commission will continue to support Members’ participation in a number of international networks, as well as in less formal affiliations and bilateral engagements, both within and outside the European Union. The Commission agreed our framework for the Assembly’s international engagement in May last year, and the framework is ambitious and was developed with the departure from the European Union in mind.

I’m grateful to the Llywydd for that response. She will be aware, of course, that it’s been common practice for Assembly Members to use this ability to engage and to meet fellow parliamentarians, not only in Brussels, but in countries that are member states of the European Union, with some flexibility under the Commonwealth approach in order to visit countries that are further afield, although Malta isn't particularly far and neither is Cyprus. But in the context of this new strategy, will there be greater encouragement to use these connections as the usual channels in terms of Assembly Members being able to rely on the Government’s engagement and then reporting back to this place—perhaps we as individual Members will be more duty-bound to maintain these networks, because learning from best practice in other nations will continue to be important, Brexit or not?

I agree with the thrust of what the Member says. We have a greater responsibility, perhaps, as an Assembly and as individual Members in this place now to promote those international contacts, whether those are with member states or regional parliaments within the EU as it will exist, and also beyond the EU. So, I want to ensure that we continue with a system of supporting Members to make contacts either individually or as committees, or as groups of Members, and myself as well, as the Llywydd, will meet other Presiding Officers in other regional Parliaments. I had the opportunity recently to visit the parliament of Valencia as well as in Catalunya, and I’m looking forward in the coming weeks to welcoming the Presiding Officer of the Basque Country to the Senedd here. So, we have a greater responsibility now to support and promote our contacts or connections as a Parliament with other regions and countries around the world.    

Thank you. Question 3 is to be answered by Commissioner Joyce Watson. Question 3 is from Julie Morgan.