Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:27 pm on 6 November 2018.
I'd like to ask the Government for clarity regarding when it intends to hold the debates and votes in relation to the terms of the UK's departure from the European Union, if a deal is actually reached. The First Minister confirmed while giving evidence to the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee yesterday that the Government intends to hold two debates and, presumably therefore, two votes, first on the withdrawal agreement reached between the UK and the EU, and then another in the form of a legislative consent motion on the withdrawal Bill itself. Given that the legislative consent motion will only be brought forward if the withdrawal Bill has been agreed to or it looks like passing unamended, it seems to me that the vote on the withdrawal agreement gives Assembly Members the best opportunity to express a view as to whether this Assembly accepts or rejects the deal. Could you ask, therefore, the leader of the house to confirm that the debate and the vote on the withdrawal agreement will be held here in Wales before the meaningful vote at Westminster, in order to ensure that the voices of the people of Wales, as expressed through this Assembly, will be meaningfully expressed as well?