4. Statement by the Counsel General Designate and Brexit Minister: The UK Government's current proposals for EU Withdrawal

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:10 pm on 15 January 2019.

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Photo of David Rees David Rees Labour 4:10, 15 January 2019

Diolch, Dirprwy Llywydd. Can I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon on the future relationships and where we go with EU withdrawal? I've heard voices across the Chamber this afternoon trying to indicate that this Prime Minister has done a wonderful deal. Well, the reality is she hasn't, and the delay she's experienced—in contradiction to what you just said in your answer to Rhianon Passmore, the delay in my view is—. She's created five weeks' delay as a consequence. It's time to go back and renegotiate, but don't forget, when you renegotiate, you have to renegotiate with the 27 members as well, and they'll have to ratify any new deal. So, timescales to actually get something done by 29 March are very, very tight, so an extension is more likely if that's what she wants to do so. That's crucial. 

Minister, I can also assure you that the committee that you used to be a member of will continue to play its part in the process, particularly in regard to legislation, but not at the price of losing any scrutiny of the legislation. We will ensure that that scrutiny does take place. 

Can I ask a couple of questions of the Minister? Perhaps, for yourself, we've submitted reports as a committee on preparedness, which I know went to the First Minister, but perhaps you can ensure that we have those responses to those reports urgently because, clearly, if the vote tonight is to defeat the Prime Minister's deal then, as the First Minister alluded to last week, we are likely to have updates next week on preparedness, and we would like to see what the Government's response to our reports is in that sense. 

Has the Minister had discussions with the other UK nations as to what jointly we can do to actually address a 'no deal' situation and a defeat in Parliament tonight and perhaps, even so, as Adam Price alluded to, with our immediate neighbours, particularly Ireland, to ensure that we are in tune with actions that we can take to mitigate any damage that a 'no deal' will cause? 

Have you had discussions with the Treasury, because, if we do have a 'no deal' situation, they have guaranteed—? The UK Government has guaranteed they will cover the EU funding projects. So, have you had discussions with the Treasury as to how that would happen? What's the process? Are mechanisms in place to ensure that organisations that are currently being funded by Europe and programmes that are currently being funded by Europe will be able to have that money, or have confidence in that money not coming down in two years' time, but be in a position where they can actually pay their bills to ensure that they can be delivering those programmes?

You highlighted medicines and the department of health and social services. Can I highlight also not just medicines but equipment? And I'll give you an example. The recent Gatwick experience delayed Gatwick not because of the EU, but because of a drone, but as a result of that I know of nuclear physics examinations that were cancelled because they didn't have the isotopes in place, because the half life was too short for them to actually get things in place. So, again, there are issues that we have to look at on other aspects. 

And perhaps I can ask one question—